Blue-Eyed Uncle Michael and the Boy Who Feared Voices

Blue-Eyed Uncle Michael and the Boy Who Feared Voices

My name is Jake, and my story begins with a fear—a bone-deep, irrational terror of men’s voices, especially their laughter. But there was one exception: my uncle Michael, whose kindness and clumsy joy helped me face the world, even as secrets and family conflict threatened to break us apart.

Under Her Shadow: A Mother's Reckoning

Under Her Shadow: A Mother’s Reckoning

On the day my son Brian married Ruby, I realized I barely knew the woman who became my daughter-in-law. My misgivings about her spiraled into doubts about my own parenting and fears for Brian’s future. Through family conflict, painful self-reflection, and unexpected moments of grace, I faced the hardest question of all: had I failed my son, or was I just afraid to let go?