Death All Around Me

This week’s photo was from a park near my parents’ home in Terrebonne, Oregon. That natural open trench takes both your breath and, on occasion, someone’s life away. Everywhere are signs like this one warning you to keep small children and pets at a safe distance. Dogs especially.




I’m busier than usual these days, and it's a good thing. Strangely, I’m staying up much later and still waking naturally in plenty of time to go for an early morning run. And the temperatures have been perfect for weekday, hilly 4- or 5-milers through my subdivision. This morning I heard sirens as I was switching my stopwatch to chrono and soon came upon an ambulance and fire engine at a neighbor’s house. I later learned someone had died in their sleep earlier in the night.

Then today I began work on a new project. A restaurant in New York City is hosting a special event to honor recently fallen Dominican-American soldiers. My job is to create short bios to accompany their photos in a program. Reading through their obituaries just fills me with so much sadness. It’s a rush job, but today I told the client I needed the weekend to finish. I want to be sure I do justice to these young men and women and their families, who will hold on to my words for a long, long time.