Broken Swallows

My husband is gluing together pieces of the black ceramic swallow magnet that fell and broke.  He got it two days ago from a conference he was attending in Lisbon, where swallows symbolize a love of old things, as well as return and hope, and such ceramic birds adorn many houses.*

Are You In For The Road Or Only For The Finish?

I was in bed with the flu, lungs full of gunk, wheezing and coughing–when a knock came at my door and my teenaged son entered carrying a cup of tea and a book.  “Here, Mama, drink this and read this book.  They’ll make you feel better.”

“How has your day gone?”

How has your day gone?

I wake up, look about the dim November room, rub at the terrible crick in my back, and feel afraid.