The beach is a special kind of theater production. No one takes a “walk on the beach” without considering — happily or not — that they will be on display for all the people sitting in beach chairs and under umbrellas. At a beach, the sand is the “seats,” the waves the “backdrop.”When you are caught in between the two, you get the uncomfortable feeling of being on parade. This is why there is a lot of pressure at the beach to look like a swimsuit model — which I do not.
Read moreFree-Range Parenting Will Take Guts, Groups
Maybe moms finally have gotten tired of hovering over every art project. Maybe they are sick of the kids being inside. Maybe they’ve finally realized they don’t really want to sit and make small talk with someone else while their children have a playdate. (The best kind of “play dates,” by the way, are the ones where the mom drops off her kid so mine is entertained and I can mop the kitchen floor.)
Read moreWhat My Children Taught Me About Politics
Photo by Andrea Hand Photography. Smiley's son on the shoulders of Maine Representative Mike Michaud.
My husband was on a year-long deployment overseas, and for each week that he was gone, we filled his empty seat at the dinner table with a new stranger. We hosted authors, musicians, school teachers, athletes, artists and even a zookeeper. We also hosted community and government leaders- - from both sides of the aisle.
Read moreIn Life and in Death, Marines are Always Faithful
Like most military children, Marc Tace knew how to wait. He knew how to wait for his Marine Corps dad’s next job, his next homecoming and the next deployment. Marc knew how to wait even when his dad’s absences could only be explained by the words Semper Fi. And for a child who’s missing his dad, that’s a hard concept.
Read more8th and I: Unforgettable
Dustin looked sharp in his choker whites as we arrived at the Commandant’s house for a reception before the parade. But when a Marine offered to escort me to my seat, Dustin smiled knowingly. I love the Navy, and I’ve been a Navy dependent for 37 years, but those Marines — well, there’s nothing quite like them. If a bear jumped out of the bushes, I was sure this Marine by my side could stop it with one hand and not miss a step or release my arm. In fact, I overheard someone behind me say that the Marine Corps Barracks is the safest block in Washington, D.C.
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