Columns

Empathy is often described as the ability to imagine yourself in another’s shoes, see the world through their eyes, and feel the weight of their experiences as if they were yours. But empathy is more than just a fleeting sense of understanding. It’s the heartbeat of human connections. It bridges…

I’ve mentioned before that I don’t always know what I’ll cover in this column when the time comes. It sure eases the anxiety level when I have a clue, though. Our SMA assignment with our third baby, Jeffrey, led me to appreciate “angel intervention” in all facets of…

Let me explain something called “pee math.” I was familiar with the concept, but didn’t realize it was a common experience in the SMA community until a colleague brought it up. It goes like this: When boarding a flight, you calculate how much liquid you can drink before…

Four must be my unlucky number, because the worst years of my life have all ended in four: 2014, the year of major depression, and 2024, the year of suck. (I’m sure 2004 was bad, too, given that I’d just undergone a spinal fusion the year before. Thankfully, I don’t…

“Wicked” is the musical movie superstar of the moment. I loved “The Wizard of Oz” growing up, and while I haven’t seen the wildly popular adaptation on stage or screen, it’s impossible not to know at least some of the music. Stephen Schwartz, composer of both the score and lyrics…

Have you ever dreamed of being a princess (or a prince)? I think most of us have, adults included. I’ve always been a Disney fan, and it has no shortage of princesses to choose from. Each one is unique, so it’s usually easy to find at least one you can…

As I reflect on 2024, I see that some great things have happened for me. I’m trying to figure out how to multiply those great things so they happen more often. This is one way I can gain an advantage while living with…

Many things help me live with SMA, but light plays a special role in my life. There is actual physical light, such as from the sun, and then there’s the light of hope. I’ve written a lot about the latter, and it’s so special that there’s more for me…

Our baby Jeffrey, who was diagnosed with SMA in July 1997, made the most of his brief earthly stint. I’ve mentioned before that our SMA duty, which lasted mere weeks between Jeffrey’s diagnosis and his death, enabled us to experience prayer and faith in ways that words can’t describe.

If you have SMA or care for someone with the disease, you’ll know what I mean when I say we get sweaty. At first I thought it was just me, but then I read somewhere online that folks like me have sweaty palms. This moment was one of those…