During the weeks before Hurricane Florence came into focus, I noticed the increasing dread that news outlets, governmental leaders and Web denizens were feeling about the approaching catastrophe. Understandably so, it seems: The forecasts depicted something historic, beyond current imagination, and devastating to large sections of the country. The warnings seemed to have taken hold. Millions ofMORE...
Little (old) kindnesses
When I was younger, I noticed how older relatives would apologize for the size or significance of their gifts. Given that prompting, I agreed: Their presents were usually small, barely appropriate to my childhood dreams. Nothing big nor exciting came from their generosity. In my hedonistic or materialistic mindset, a gift was good only when it was big, surprising, unique, fashionable andMORE...