Author Archives: walkbal1372

Have you ever had a moment when reality hits you gobsmack in the face?  Where the fantasy world you have built in your mind shatters?  That was me yesterday. My sister and I have a penchant for attending concerts by bands that were top of the charts when we were growing up. REO Speedwagen, Foreigner,Continue reading “Gobsmacked”

January 1, 1983 – the day the world and our idea of how to be kind changed.  For many of us, myself included, the day was New Year’s Day.  A day to recover from a late night or to sit in front of the TV glued to bowl games and wonder how long your commitmentContinue reading “The Net”

A big part of my non-author life is administering elections.  Years ago, it wasn’t such a big part, but as the country has grown divided over politics and as our State legislature in Minnesota changes laws regarding elections, elections seem to have become more of a year-round job rather than just once or twice aContinue reading “Elections”

Have you ever truly thought about how we find and are connected to the people in our lives?  Of course in the case of family members its genetics, but just because we are born into the same family doesn’t keep us family.  Like our friendships, we gravitate towards those people with whom we feel aContinue reading “Who Do You Tell Your Story To?”

You can’t get to my age without having noticed that life is one big balancing act and that is never more prevalent when love is involved. We enter this world helpless yet surrounded by people who love us unconditionally and, it seems most of us leave this world in the same way and that wasContinue reading “Life Is A Balancing Act”

Today is the Fourth of July; a national holiday celebrated with parades, picnics, family, friends and fireworks.  More specifically, today is our Independence Day.  The day the refugees from a tyrannical king crossed the ocean in the hopes of finding one nation, united under God, where all men were created equal.  Sound familiar?  As aContinue reading “One Nation”

There is a saying…something about when good people do nothing….that I haven’t been able to shake since watching three of the January 6th Committee hearings the past couple of weeks.  That’s usually the sign that I need to get my thoughts out by writing about it. Those of a certain political party will almost assuredlyContinue reading “When You Say Nothing At All”

I’m one of “them”- the thousands of people who post on social media and then stew over responses. Years ago, when I resisted entering the social media fray, I scoffed at those people who lived and died based on how many likes or clicks or retweets they received. Now, I am one of them. ItContinue reading “The Lure Of Social Media”

If you have read other posts on this website you will have seen my attempts to write about serious topics in an uplifting manner, at least until recently. The school shooting in Ulvalde , Texas seems to have changed that for me. I am heartbroken for the families; angry at the misuse of guns; andContinue reading “Life Is A Risk”

It happened again.  Another shooting.  More lives lost.  More outrage.  And nothing will change. Even as I write these words I can’t help but wonder what is wrong with the United States of America that we can’t see something has to be done.  Gun control?  Mental health services? What is the answer?  While the initialContinue reading “What Is The Solution?”