Tag Archives: memories
See the Light?
“Help Papa get off oxygen,” my toddler prays each night for my father. Before Papa’s Covid-19 hospitalization, my son was admitted with pneumonia. Only 2, he knows the prick of needles, the web of tubes, the tickle of plastic in … Continue reading
A Bear Made With Love
Elizabeth, a handmade teddy bear lovingly sewn by my great-grandmother. I was only 2 when I got it as a Christmas gift, so I don’t remember receiving it, but there are pictures of me holding her after I opened the … Continue reading
We Are What We Eat
When is food ever just food? My answer: never. No matter what you are eating, there is always something else … there. The people who grew it or made it. The memories you have from your past, the hopes for … Continue reading
Tough Conversations
My brother has been incarcerated for several years for drug offenses. This has been extremely painful for our entire family, but I love him and try to keep in touch with him. My wife and I have two children, ages … Continue reading
Always Swinging Open
I see my Abuelita’s screened door swinging in my mind’s eye: sunlight piercing through the mosquito net, the scent of warm tortillas in the air. Even at 4, I know that Abuelita is not rich, not like my other, Italian … Continue reading
Real Life of an MSW 