For years I stood in front of a classroom, trying—sometimes succeeding—to convince college students that they could and should write. I suspect that most of them were checking a box, composition–check, intro to lit–check. A treasured few have let me know, decades later, that writing, and reading were useful, even pleasant. We were together before…

There are days when I wonder if my words have value. What I write seems not memorable, not important in the grand scheme of things. But when I mentioned Samuel Pepys 1665 diary a couple of days ago, I was glad to have his generous gift to a future he could not have imagined. He…

Whether I’ve had a busy day or not, I easily fall asleep to instrumental music, often Kitaro or Kailin Yong, two talented musicians whose music is beautiful sound sans speech. And when I settle in with my journal in the morning, it’s often Vivaldi who helps me think. If you were, however, to challenge my…