Marlys Johnson Lawry

Granddaughter Lydia texted. “Grandma, can I come early and bring some friends?” The original plan was to spend a couple nights with us on her way to college. Plan “B” was to arrive three days early and be the activities director for a handful of her hometown high school friends.

They rafted the Deschutes River. Hiked the trail above the moraine lake in Three Fingered Jack. Attended a concert in the amphitheater. And hiked up to Misery Ridge at Smith Rock State Park, arriving by sunset.

Misery Ridge at Smith Rock State Park

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One day while Dan and I were non-dating, he threw some carrots, potatoes, celery, onion, and meat into a Crockpot. (Non-dating is when you hike and snowshoe and sip chai lattes together as friends in your own little bubble because it’s the year 2020.)

“I made more stew than I can eat. Do you want to come for dinner?” Dan asked.

Photo by Laura Ohlman on Unsplash

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The plans for a two-week bike and barge tour out of Amsterdam were set in place last fall. Winding through the Netherlands’ scenic geography. Windmills. Castles. Quaint coffee shops with delightful pastries.

And here I sit at home—due to an unforeseen medical issue—while Dan and four of our friends venture along the busy waterways and cycle through the picturesque countryside.

All photos: Dan Lawry

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Father Sullivan—a side character in Ann Patchett’s book, Run—sat in an armchair toward the end of his life, looking out the window at the falling snow, and pondering.

How wrongheaded it seemed now to think that the thrill of heartbeat and breath were just a steppingstone to something greater. What could be greater than the armchair, the window, the snow?

Photo by Krista Vance at pexels.com

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When I served as cancer survivorship coordinator at the St. Charles Cancer Center, there were a number of amazing volunteers who helped us manage some really great programs that benefitted our patients and their families.

One such volunteer was Michelle, a Licensed Massage Therapist. She approached us with an idea for a weekly cancer survivor meet-up that would encourage gentle outdoor physical movement—walking, in this case.

My kind of person.

Photo by Kitera Dent on Unsplash

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In her book, Kitchen Table Wisdom, Dr. Rachel Remen tells about a friend who attended a bingo game while visiting his elderly parents in Florida. A large sign on the wall indicated, “You Have to Be Present to Win.”

Similar to being present to collect a prize in a bingo game, Dr. Remen wrote:

We are all here for a single purpose: to grow in wisdom and to learn to love better. We can do this through losing as well as through winning, by having and by not having, by succeeding and by failing. All we need to do is to show up openhearted for class.

Photo by 2y.kang on Unsplash

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If you’re not from central Oregon, then you probably don’t know that we had approximately eleven days of winter in the 2025-2026 season (this may be a slight exaggeration).

Mt. Bachelor with not nearly enough snow

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April 10 is National Siblings Day, which caused me to think back to my childhood years with my siblings. Sandwiched in between brothers, I’d always wanted a sister to stand strong with me against the two of them. But alas …

A few years back, but the most recent photo taken with my brothers

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It was a week of scuba diving (Dan), exploring the beach bare-footed, boating past mangrove trees, reading, entertaining monkeys and macaws, marveling at the sloths, catching a sunset, making new friends, and enjoying international cuisine.

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Will Parker Anderson, senior editor with Penguin Publishing Group, pens a Substack blog with content that is meant to be encouraging and informational for those of us who clack away on our keyboards in hopes of telling a good story. Occasionally, though, he shares words of wisdom to writers and non-writers alike.

Photo by Nate Banks on Unsplash

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