Posts by Maddie Lock
A German Christmas Memory
I waited impatiently for the big night and watched the snow clouds pile high in the frigid sky, alternating between wishing for the beauty of snowfall and a clear night to accommodate us on our quest for the perfect tree.
Read MoreTick Tock
Time had little meaning; only the essence of the moment seemed important. But all wonderful things come to an end, or they would lose much of their loveliness—it’s the contrast that is delicious.
Read MoreDöstädning, the gentle art of Swedish Death Cleaning
Döstädning is the “gentle art of Swedish death cleaning” as defined by Margareta Magnussen in her book titled the same.
Read MoreOn Writing for Eternity
I believe we write because words are eternal. Our written thoughts offer a type of validation of a life.
Read MoreWORC
When I was fifteen, I walked up to the Whataburger on Seminole Boulevard at the edge of our lower middle class neighborhood in Seminole, Florida and applied for a carhop position. My family had moved into a rental house a few months earlier and I needed a job. My stepfather Ted had recently retired after…
Read MoreFearless
The next time you feel a strong aversion, or a gut punch at the thought of dealing with something, check in with fear. Give it a precise definition and slide it into the background.
Read MoreMake Friends With Your Monkey
All of us have one. Some are more active than others. When you think of a monkey what comes to mind is a chattering and noisy little creature that can’t stay still or be quiet (unless it’s sleeping. Maybe). Think about the last time you fretted about something.
Read MoreResistance
Resistance is the way we react when we don’t want to embrace the present moment. We want things to be different. Period. So we feel that anger, or jealousy, or impatience. We don’t accept that things are what they are.
Read MoreA New Purpose for a New Year
I fell madly in love on Christmas Eve. Here’s what happened.
My husband and son walked into the house carrying a huge grass basket, singing we wish you a Merry Christmas at the top of their lungs. Inside the basket? Two eight-week-old Jack Russell Terrier puppies.
A Daughter’s Journey
Often in the afternoons my father will open a cabinet, and with his gnarled index finger trail the spines of binders filled with catalogued DVDs until he finds one he wants to share with me that day.
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