In The Kingdom

Today I began planting my Victory Garden. Am I celebrating survival or sacrificing for the battles ahead? I don’t know, but the elasticity of language makes me laugh. Cancer blogs, replete with war metaphors, have enlisted me in the fray of words. My favorite among the Fighting Myelomas is armamentarium. Twice, I’ve heard doctors use it [...]

No Expectations

In the mountains, in the heart of winter, an antiseptic stillness penetrates the landscape. Many of my solitary walks in December and January were steeped in silence, the crunch of my shoes on road grit the only sound.   By mid-February though, a clatter of orchard ladders mixed with the beat of mariachi music breaks the [...]

Much Ado About Nothing

Recently, a friend asked me what I do with my time. When I tried to describe a typical day, I laughed. The reason is because I do a whole lot of nothing. This reminds me of a Buddhist joke. A disciple of the Dalai Lama gave him a present for his birthday. Upon unwrapping the [...]

I Do!

Yesterday, my youngest son, Isaac, proposed to his girlfriend Nikki. Meanwhile, I am being the model patient. I limit my socializing; my outings to shop are brief. I wipe clean the handle of the grocery cart before using. I’m careful about not shaking hands or hugging friends. This aspect of recovery comes easy for me. [...]