Monthly Archives: August 2012

An American remembered… Neil Armstrong

I remember the black horse with the upside down boots — only in hindsight do I feel the shock at the assassination of a president. I remember two assassinations in 1968, both of which made us children feel insecure in … Continue reading

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Essay. Where does the power come from?

Where does the power come from, to run the straight race? It comes from within. Eric Liddell, in the film “Chariots of Fire.” During the recent London Olympics, the theme to this film about British runners preparing for the post-WWI … Continue reading

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Article. Mental Illness II. We have met the affected, and it is us (revised 2012)

When I was in medical school, a psychiatrist said it is impossible to help someone with any form of mental illness if they do not seriously want help. I knew that already: I had delayed seeing a doctor in college … Continue reading

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Article. Mental Illness I. We have met the affected, and it is us (revised 2012)

When I was a child, I didn’t understand why some illnesses were discussed in normal tones and others in whispers. I remember my mother asking disgustedly once, “How can someone still think cancer is contagious?” but I knew there were … Continue reading

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Essay. Their Finest Hour

The memory I will carry longest from the summer Olympiad of 2012 is not from the games. In the United States, the NBC network showed a documentary, “Their Finest Hour,” before the last night of athletic coverage. The documentary was … Continue reading

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Essay. The train to Baltimore

I grew up with cats, but I married a man who had grown up with dogs, and I agreed to consider a dog when (if) we had a home of our own. The two cats we had gotten our last … Continue reading

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Essay. After the mountaintop

  In the wake of the Olympic games, people often think of the athletes who made history and wonder “What do you do after you have reached the mountain top?” In 1953,  Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and climbing partner … Continue reading

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Essay. Scars

Several years ago, there was a horrific home invasion in a quiet town several hours away from us. Two men with long criminal records targeted a woman and her daughter after seeing them in a supermarket. After they identified the … Continue reading

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Essay. Lessons from the Olympics

Fierce competitors can appreciate the talent and value of the athletes against whom they compete.A white South African runner named Oscar Pistorius made it into the semifinals for the 400-meter race at the Olympics. He finished last in his heat … Continue reading

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Thought for the Day. Peace.

No one can give you peace, and no one can take it from you. Close your eyes, feel your heart beat, listen to the rhythm of your breathing, and know you are alive. Then, think of each person whom you … Continue reading

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