The Runcible Blog

This is the last thing my grandfather told me before he died: "I saw your house. Nice town." I regret that I wasn't home the only time that he was able to visit my neighborhood.

I miss his advice, his stories about life, and his quiet support. He was one tough cookie who worked hard and handled whatever life dealt him. (Nate said all of this better.)

Goodbye, papa.

Life is like a subway car, rattling down the tracks. The braking and accelerating, bumps and tugs are the changes in life that send us in new directions. Some people in the car try to stand in the middle and end up bouncing against the walls and other people. Some will even blame the tracks for being so rutted or curse the driver for not driving smoothly. Others, who hold firmly to the car or sit comfortably in a seat, feel much less of the ride — in fact, the bumps are relaxing enough to make them fall asleep.

How can we maintain a firm grip on the changes in our lives? How do we stop bumping into people and yelling about unforeseen turns? How do we become the drivers of our lives?