Some years ago, my brother-in-law Einar and I were hiking in the highlands of eastern Norway. We carried food, water, and coffee as we walked along the tracks in an area...

The summer after my junior year in high school I went to a church camp as I had done every summer. I was feeling overwhelmed because I needed to figure out...

As the day for my annual colonoscopy approached, I was filled with anxiety that my cancer might have returned. Just one year prior, the doctor had found and removed several non-cancerous...

We arrived at the park near my older son’s college. He led us through the parking lot to the entrance of a hiking trail. “Have you ever been on this trail...

In 2016, my brother took a college entrance examination. On the day of the examination, the computer system failed, which led to his losing some already-answered questions and prevented him from...

My family and I had finally escaped homelessness and were fighting to start over. We had nothing — no furniture for the small apartment we rented, not even beds. We sat...

Within a month’s time, our community had been affected by two hurricanes. The first, Hurricane Hermine, had hit us directly — leaving in its wake fallen trees, power outages, and broken...

One Wednesday morning, my boss beckoned me into his office. Instead of receiving the usual briefing, I received a small severance package. Driving home and holding back tears, I thought about...

We can tell easily when someone is in love. This person is full of life and can’t stop talking about his or her significant other. I could see this when my...

My husband is a mathematician. His education molded his mind in ways that help him solve engineering problems. My own education in home economics formed my mind quite differently. The way...