Little Big Moments

Michael Koh is a terrific writer, and his gifts are on display in his series of humorous and...

James Davis was a Presbyterian pastor and poet. His funeral was held last Saturday at my church, and his family gave me a copy of his poetry book Seek the Counsel of Trees.

Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out” was blaring in my head as I drove past the schools this week. I can picture today’s students joyfully slamming lockers and throwing papers in the air like in the movie Dazed and Confused.

I love to listen to baseball games on the radio. It’s a habit I picked up after college when I was working part-time jobs to scrape rent together and couldn’t afford cable.

Recently, my faith community, Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church, has partnered with Undue Medical Debt, a national nonprofit that buys medical debt from creditors.

Like many listeners, I was moved by Eric Church’s commencement address at UNC. He struck a particular chord with me because I learned to play guitar in college after a period in my life when I’d lost my way or, as Church described, “fell out of tune.”

I returned to the church to find a dead bird lying at the base of the glass door, his or her neck broken by the sudden impact. It was a sleek brown bird, one that I couldn’t identify. This failure made me feel sadder.

I love that students and community members have declared “Teachers Rock” by recognizing individuals from elementary schools to UNC and from public to home schools.

Years ago, I had a friend who had reached the age when many people start to lose the names of things. Sometimes, the object would be close at hand, like “windshield” or “coaster,” and I could supply the word when he touched it.

I enjoyed Daniel Wallace’s engaging interview with Aaron Keck about his new collection of short fiction, so I was eager to attend the Chatham Literacy Spring Luncheon and support a great organization.