Woodson’s first steps

As they are for any child learning to walk, Woodson’s first steps were tentative and shaky. Without something to hold onto, he would surely have fallen into a heap on the tile floor. And even with something to help his balance, it was clear that it would take him some time to work out all the mechanics of this new way of getting around. Of course, toddlers have been learning to do this since Adam and Eve had their first children. But Woodson is no child. He’s a young man, probably in his early 20s, and on Wednesday, I watched … Continue reading Woodson’s first steps

Searching for hope and forgiveness

I’ve been struggling over this post for a couple of days now – trying to work through the emotions that are tied up with it so that I don’t allow anger and bitterness to take over and trying to find some hope within the heartache. A little more than a week ago, I held a dying woman in my arms. I don’t know her name, and I can only guess at her age – somewhere in her 80s probably – but I know she was dying, because she passed away on Friday. And judging from the conditions in which she … Continue reading Searching for hope and forgiveness