Columns

A respiratory illness left me fighting for my life

As I lay in bed, willing my body to find some energy to write this column, a notification popped up on my phone. According to USA Today, a “quadruple whammy of viruses” had been spreading across the country. All I could do was roll my eyes. After the past several…

Empathy is the heartbeat of human connections

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…

Why light is important in my life with SMA

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…

‘Tis the season of yet another angel intervention

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.