Author Archives: T

A nice old man walked into McDonald’s asking for directions. Simple request. The kind that happens dozens of times a day in fast food restaurants. Give him an address, point him in […]

Wrigleyville. A busy morning on the rooftop of Old Crow Smokehouse. Crowds of people moving past, focused on their own destinations, their own plans. And in the middle of it all, a […]

The house fire took everything. Not just possessions—clothes, furniture, photos—but the sense of safety that comes from having a place that’s yours. The family escaped, which is what matters most. But the […]

I was defeated by my parents’ tortoise. That’s the confession that starts this story. Not defeated in battle or competition, but defeated in understanding. Defeated in recognizing something profound about love and […]

The wildfire was raging. Flames tore through trees, smoke so thick it turned day into night, and crews were ordered to pull back immediately. The danger was too great. The fire too […]

He was eight years old, and no one wanted to play with him. The cleft lip made other kids stare. The two different colored eyes—one blue, one another color—made them whisper. And […]

For ten months, she showed up to work wearing scrubs. She treated patients—over 4,500 of them. She performed nursing duties, administered care, made medical decisions that affected real people’s lives. And no […]

He was a dad and a husband. That’s what matters first. Not his job title, not his public profile, not anything except the most important roles anyone can hold—father to children who […]

Once, Gloria Stewart asked her husband Jimmy why he loved her the most. It’s the kind of question that comes from curiosity, maybe a little insecurity, the wondering that even long marriages […]

He saw the same man every day at the local coffee shop. Sitting outside, sometimes with a cup someone had bought him, sometimes just sitting. Homeless. Overlooked by most people who walked […]