The days of eating whatever candy and sweets I love are long past. But I do have a way of making pumpkin bread taste like dessert—which is my saving grace. It seems we grow up delighting in sweets and then as we “mature” they are gradually reduced until they become a distant memory. All in the name of health. I understand it. I live it. Still, I remember having two generous pieces of chocolate cake for my tenth birthday. No second thoughts. Just celebration. Those of you who have also been...

It’s been birthday season in my family—first my daughter, then her children. We celebrate with smiles, joy, and hopes for the year ahead. And every year, it quietly reminds me that I am older—much older—than they are. But older has its rewards. Retirement. Senior discounts. Some hard-earned perspective. And even better? Being older means we have deeper roots. As JRR Tolkien wrote in The Fellowship of the Ring : …the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost.”...

It wasn’t until last year that I first rode Seattle’s Link Light Rail. It was fast and inexpensive, carrying us beneath the city without traffic delays. But what struck me most wasn’t the speed—it was the people. Some were headed to work. Others looked like they were coming off night shifts. A few hauled suitcases from the airport. Others seemed lost in heavier struggles—hoodies up, eyes down. Most were absorbed on their phones. For a few brief minutes, we shared the same space—strangers...