Stories & Blogs
Roy’s Sunday Letter, July 17, 2022
* For SL readers over 50 I would say these titles of time and heritage have little current meaning, and/or less and less relevant Politics/Political Republican Democrat Younger SL readers, in general, pay little attention, nor care about these old style words, lacking action or values If we must apply tag lines to identify the…
Women & Men Weekend Trips
Beth recently joined three women friends for a Friday – Sunday weekend of travel, food, life updates, and shopping. These four departed knowing the where and some of the what of the weekend. The joy, the fun of their time together was allowing the travel, day, and evening to unfold before them. And, all of…
Roy’s Sunday Letter, July 10, 2022
* The 1st SL through Aweber went well. Most were able to Open and read, but not all. There seems to be a difference in look and feel with laptops, ipads, and phones. WordPress font size and color can be improved. To Register or ensure you are registered, go to “royswritings.com“….site opens on my book….scroll…
Roy’s Sunday Letter, July 3, 2022
* One part of my 2nd career as Writer is to enjoy learning and stretching together. The switch from traditional Gmail to Aweber email look and feel is one of many examples. Tim of SmartWebNow.com is our guide. Now published, I am asked “What have you learned?” OR “From what you have learned, can you…
Finding My Digital Way – Where Is My GPS?
Finding my way through the many, ever-changing digital platforms can be a challenge for anyone, at any age. This is especially true for elders, especially this elder. Just when I find doorway or a way around a suddenly appearing wall, there is the need for a code or undefined symbol to post a photo or…
Roy’s Sunday Letter, June 26, 2022
* James Patterson and Dolly Parton have partnered on a book. Run, Rose, Run. Dolly is an amazing achiever, songwriter, philanthropist…a hero to us all….& more. ** For my adult life I watched Mark Shields. PBS News Hour, CNN. HIs recent death at 85, brought forth comments Mark would appreciate:. Generosity of spirit….Irrepressible humor….Could spot…
Resilience
In 2005, the storm surge of Katrina over-whelmed planned protections and levies, leaving New Orleans a city underwater with residents stranded on roofs, homes, jobs… a city destroyed. The New Orleans Jazz Festival is an annual international event of music, food, and culture. In 2006, the artists, sponsors, and festival planners decided to at least…
Roy’s Sunday Letter, June 19, 2022
** Do you love the printed page (or did before ebooks)?? “Hello, Bookstore” is an intimate documentary of the now aging owner of his beloved bookstore, and his supporters in Lenox, Mass. Matt Tannenbaum is the town’s bookseller, through the Pandemic, the economy slowing, and growth of Amazon and digital/audio books.YouTube has trailers and…
Roy’s Sunday Letter, June 12, 2022
* First encouraging and celebrative news: Diebeda Francis Kere has been awarded the Pritzker Prize as Architect of the Year for 2022 Born in an African village with no school, Kere’s determined way carried him through education to become an Architect His education and public place design are astounding, pleasing, functional, and magical. Find him…
Why Do I Write?
As a writer of elder age, I am asked why I write stories. My desire is to Engage, I am Interested in how we/I meet and work through life’s challenges. I write from life events I have witnessed or from my “what if” idea bag. What if a shopping center Santa Claus, due to alcohol, was not allowed to…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for June 1, 2025
ROY AT 81 YEARS Somewhere, I have a copy of 1944 “Shore to Ship” cable to my Navy Officer father, on a ship somewhere off Normandy. The cable announced my birth. My mother was living with her parents on their east Texas farm in Gladewater. And yes, 81 is just a number, but also a…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for May 25, 2025
ALL ABOUT FRIENDS AND FRIENDSHIPS Richard left a brief voice mail as Wendi and he were driving back to North Carolina after visiting nearby family. When I connected with Richard his words defined long term friendship for us all. “I just wanted to hear your voice.” I treasure Richard’s words, as I consider the voices…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for May 18, 2025
PAGES FROM A FULL NOTEBOOK Each week I make notes of what might be included in the Sunday Letter. Here are the ones thar made the selection from notebook to screen. ** It is not with joy; I share Fort Worth has reached a citizenship of one million. I am not confident in the positive…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for May 11, 2025
BEING AWARE BUT NOT OVER-WHELMED BY ALL THINGS MONEY The 2021 online movie “Saving Paradise” portrays the role and the power of money in the lives of individuals, families, small businesses and communities. The founding owner of a small-town wooden pencil business dies suddenly. His son, a New York corporate raider, must decide to sell…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for May 4, 2025
AN ANCIENT BUDDHIST TEACHING, THE NOBLE EIGHTFUL PATH, UPDATED FOR 2025 The Eightfold Path teaches Right Understanding, Right Intent, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, and Right Mindfulness. In full and humble respect for ancient teachers and teachings, I offer this Sunday Letter with words and meaning to bring these truths forward into…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 27, 2025
NAVIGATING THE PATH TO AGING WELL #1 I am surprised to now find myself an elder of 80, and in May 81. All of this too fast and too soon. I need more time to prepare, to be ready for the physical, emotional, economic, and spiritual changes, challenges. As I lift my eyes and heart…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 20, 2025
ALL THE GOOD WORDS Easter Sunday provides a pause between winter cold and moving quickly into the heat and humidity of the Texas summer. Easter Sunday is the right time to give thought on where we fit in a troubled world as individuals, family, workplace, civic volunteer and with close friends. In this Sunday Letter…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 13, 2025
ON BEING A NEIGHBOR Mr. Rogers began the PBS Children’s Show singing “Won’t you be my neighbor? Could you be my neighbor? I really want a neighbor just like you.” Jesus responded to the question “Who is my neighbor?’ With a story of breaking through walls and the rituals that separate us, that kept us…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for April 6, 2025
THE SLOW AND THE BLUR OF CHANGE In the mid-1980’s, I decided to sign-up for a Sierra Club hiking trip in the Colorado mountains. Beginning at base camp in Creed, eight of us hiked Colorado mountains and over the Continental Divide. On day three, I sat in a mountain meadow, with Elk nearby, watching river…
Roy’s Sunday Letter for March 30, 2023
ABOUT TREES “Who plants a tree plants hope” Lucy Larcom “A true meaning of life is planting trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.” Nelson Henderson Why write a Sunday Letter about trees? When Beth and I returned to Fort Worth, we experienced the joy of trees of all types, sizes, and…