Tears are the safety valve of the heart when too much pressure is laid on it.~Albert Smith Dani could not dry her own tears as she walked off the airplane trailed by the flight attendant carrying her backpack. I was allowed to go to the gate, which is unusual in this day and age, to pick up my 23-year-old daughter. There she was, wearing flip-flops, gym pants, and a tank top. Never mind that ...

A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.~Jean de La Fontaine The Christmas season arrived, and as always, my mother asked, “What would you like for Christmas?” “A kitty, a puppy, and a pony,” I responded without hesitation. One could say I “placed my order.” My mom explained we didn’t need another dog, as we already had one. Of course, I responded, “We do not have a p...

Relish love in our old age! Aged love is like aged wine; it becomes more satisfying, more refreshing, more valuable, more appreciated and more intoxicating.~Leo Buscaglia Normally, my husband had a lot to say when he got home from work, but so far he hadn’t uttered more than a few words. I waited while he slathered his tacos with a mountain of salsa and sour cream before I finally broke the s...

The only sure thing about luck is that it will change.~Wilson Mizner “Wallet stolen — contained passport and credit cards.” At the little police station hidden in a corner of the Stazione Termini, the main train station in Rome, I filled out the necessary forms while trying to hold back tears of anger, frustration, and humiliation. Oh, yes, we’d been warned. First by Rita, our Italian languag...

People who love cats have some of the biggest hearts around.~Susan Easterly During my college days, I began cultivating myself to fit the image I held of an aspiring author. I fancied myself a connoisseur of language and shuddered at others’ misuse of it. Most of all, I scoffed at people who spewed drivel at babies or, even more loathsome, at pets. Although neither babies nor pets were part o...