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Train of Thought

The train whistles in the distance. Slanting sunlight filters through the living room window—the train, which arrives and departs Memphis morning and night in the darkness, is late. Seated on the floor, I rub the dog’s belly and confide, “I love the train.” How I can love the instrument of my daddy’s death is beyond me....

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The Non-Laity

We were talking last night about our inward journey—what we are doing spiritually for ourselves—and I was describing a blog I had recently started following. “He’s a priest,” I said, “but—.” I stopped and laughed. I was about to say, “But I like what he has to say.” He’s a priest, but. Sometimes if I listen to myself, i can learn a lot about...

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Love is not a Competitive Sport

He walks out the door to earn our daily bread, and somehow I’ve lost the pants he puts on every morning in the dark to walk the anxious dog. He stops to check our wine supply— it’s Valentine’s tonight— and I glance at the dry cleaning basket overflowing by the door, unkempt. He does so much for me I struggle to keep up. I know,...

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The Shark Freed from Her Cage

I am getting out of sync with time. Arriving at 9:45 for my 10:45 appointment. Waking at 5am and returning to sleep by re-entering my dreams. Sincerely believing it to be Monday when I attended church that morning but it seems SO LONG AGO. I don’t want to scare you, but I think I’m drifting away from the framework of this world,...

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Blind Justice

I HATE politics. I HATE getting riled up about current events. I HATE taking positions that appear so judgmental. Then I read an article like the one this morning on the defense strategy in the latest “Stand Your Ground” shooting in Florida. “Loud music” “SUV” “Black” “Teenager” “Thumping...

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I’ve seen the Glimmering

That little glimmer of hope that appears like a flickering flame when you’ve been immersed in darkness for so long you’ve allowed the prospect of success to dim, smoldering. Not a giving up—no way!— but a dampening down, a waiting, a refusal to let hope spring into false hope until real tender presents for a true igniting. That’s...

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Word to the Wise: Pay Attention to Your Beta Readers

Three years ago, or maybe four, a man I did not know arrived at my writing group, and during a long conversation about the first chapter of The Bone Trench, he said, “I’m ready to see Cat Thomas return.” I assured him Cat, who opened the novel in a brief scene, would be back shortly, specifically at the beginning of the next...

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