My entire family was invited to a graduation party over the weekend. Such an invitation is nothing out of the ordinary; what made this invitation unique was that the graduate was a third-generation member of a long-standing friendship – his grandparents were neighbors of my parents for more than 40 years.

This invitation would naturally seem rather strange to the casual observer – a coattail acquaintance, if you will, out of whom the graduate was simply trying to squeeze another gift.

Nothing could be further from the truth, for although the graduate’s grandparents – Bob and Jane, my family’s longtime neighbors – are now deceased, the connection with the family remains, forged by careful cultivation over a relationship of years. Continue reading →

Stop for a moment and listen. American freedom can be found in the sound of backyard birthday parties and the daily commute.

We enjoy the right to raise our children according to our own values. (Biba Kayewich)

As a child, my family would sometimes be out walking when suddenly Mom would say, “Stop! Close your eyes and then listen to see who can hear five separate sounds first.”

We would all pause, even holding our breath, straining to catch the faintest sounds of a bird, a car in the distance, or even an airplane far above in the sky. It was a fun activity, and it made us exercise one of our five senses that we weren’t relying on as much as we looked around. Continue reading →