Inspired by Scholastica

I never thought I would read or like a book about ice hockey. I don't know anything about the sport. But I picked up the book "Us against You" because I had read another book ("A Man Called Ove") by the same author, Fredrik Backman. Actually the book is more about human relationships than about hockey. There are two rival hockey teams in two small towns, Beartown and Hed, but the relationships of the team members and their families and friends is what held my attention. The book deals with rape, homosexuality, death, marital tensions, alcoholism, local politics, friendship and leadership. The author explores these situations with honesty and realism. There is never any sentimentality or condemnation. Backman shows the weaknesses as well as the strengths of the characters. He makes the reader care about what happens to them. One of my favorite characters is Ana, whose boyfriend is a member of the opposing team. She is strong and independent as she deals w

I recently spent some time with another sister's brother and sister-on-law. Jack, her brother celebrated his 90th birthday while we were there. He is amazing for his age. He still drives, cooks, tends a garden, walks the dog, play cards and board games, enjoys watching baseball and keeping up with politics. He has some health issues, but he keeps plugging along as if he's 70.  As I grow older, I find traveling is not as much fun as it used to be. Airports are challenging, plane seats are uncomfortable, walking is tiring, and suitcases are heavy. At my age, I'd rather curl up with a good book, watch a movie on TV, or play a game of Scrabble. Now I understand why I could hardly get my mother to go anywhere with me in her later years. Going away makes me appreciate my familiar surroundings and people more. Even if I've heard the stories before, I usually forget some of the parts.The way my memory is going, they'll soon all seem new. And sleeping in one's

At a recent meeting of my religious community, we had a discussion on "critical junctures," in light of planning for our future. It brought to mind critical junctures in our personal lives where we have to make a decision that will impact our future. It might be a time of selecting a field of study in college, choosing a marriage partner, or taking a particular job. It could also be smaller junctures like having an argument with a neighbor or friend and making a decision to resolve it peacefully or carry a grudge. Or perhaps a choice of whether to say something uplifting to another person or ignoring her or him. Critical junctures can give us the opportunity to be kind and loving or mean and hateful. Our lives are full of choices and what we choose determines what kind of person we turn out to be. We are affected by the examples we see around us. If our parents were generous, loving people, hopefully we will be too. If they failed to model good behavior, we have o