If your teenage son died in a freak accident, and you wanted another child, would you rather clone an identical twin of your dead son or try to have another child naturally? This week's question from Gregory Stock's The Book of Questions ventures into territory that feels almost too sacred to explore—the devastating loss of … Continue reading Question of the Week #454
Tragedy
The Bridge – Four Perspectives
CONTENT WARNING: This story contains depictions of suicidal ideation and suicide. Reader discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please reach out for help: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (US): 988 or 1-800-273-8255 Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 International Association for Suicide Prevention: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/ Remember, you … Continue reading The Bridge – Four Perspectives
The Fleeting Flavor of Joy
Little Suzie skipped merrily down the sidewalk, her blonde pigtails bouncing with each sprightly step. The sun shone brightly overhead, bathing the world in a golden glow that seemed to promise endless possibilities. But for Suzie, only one thing mattered at this moment: the pack of bubblegum clutched tightly in her tiny hand. Suzie had … Continue reading The Fleeting Flavor of Joy
The Tangled Web
Meet Jake, a 32-year-old marketing executive who's been running on fumes for the past few years. His once-promising career has become a never-ending cycle of deadlines, presentations, and soul-crushing meetings. The only thing keeping him going is the promise of a well-deserved vacation, but even that seems to be slipping through his fingers. One particularly … Continue reading The Tangled Web
Instinct
When you see a butterfly, what's your first reaction? Do you cower in fear? Do you run and hide? Chances are you don't. Unless you have some kind of butterfly phobia that causes you to have an irrational fear of those particular insects. If memory serves, it's called lepidopterophobia. But that's really not important right … Continue reading Instinct
I Cannot Trust My Own Ears
I very rarely listen to the radio. In my long drives to and from work, I'm usually listening to audio books to fill the time. When I feel like listening to music as I'm driving around town, it's courtesy of my iPod and all the music that I know I'll want to listen to. If … Continue reading I Cannot Trust My Own Ears
Close to Home
I'm a creature of habit. I dare say most of us are, whether we like to admit it or not. Growing up in Roanoke, Virginia, it seemed that we always had two choices for local news and weather. There was the NBC affiliate, WSLS-10, or the CBS affiliate, WDBJ-7. In our house, it was always … Continue reading Close to Home
The Confusing Middle 