Tommy’s Window on the World

Tommy’s Window on the World

Stories, Reflections, and Glimpses of Life

From one still paying attention to the world around him

Welcome to my corner of the web, where I share memories, observations, and the occasional voice from family and friends.

My Current WoWs

WoW is my Window on the World — a place where the world feels a little closer and a lot more wonderful.

The Joy of Holding Hands

My wife, Jerilyn, and I have been holding hands for ...
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Retirement: A New Weekend of Life

Retirement is something many of us look forward to, especially ...
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A Life Measured in Memories

I recently ran across a quote by author John Green ...
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Busy Having Fun

We rarely put the words “busy” and “fun” side by ...
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Elderly man writing vocabulary list in cozy study

My Five Favorite Words

Choosing five favorite words turned out to be more challenging ...
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Farmhouse with dirt road under storm clouds

The Storms of Life

When Walt agrees to watch over his cousin’s farm, a ...
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Guest Missives

Girl standing before a charging cow

My Close Call… by Jane Strebel

I remember him still: massive, intimidating, and totally fulfilling the expectations of his ...
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Child observing snake in the grass

Snake in the Grass… by Jane Strebel

From a child’s perspective, one of the greatest benefits of growing up on ...
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Tearful elderly woman in a park

Guilty as Charged… by Jane Strebel

Grief and guilt are two little words that hold the misery of the ...
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Fridge character with warning sign

Sick Duck… by JoAnn

A couple of weeks ago, I awoke just before dawn to an unsettling ...
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Person waking up to alarm clock

Setting The Alarm… by JoAnn

For years, from my teens to my 50s, I set an alarm clock ...
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Man relaxing with a pipe and rifle

Shuckin’ Corn … by Larry

Recently, my friend Larry attempted to pay the local newspaper (The Mountaineer) his ...
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Green "As My World Turns" logo with flourish

If My Soul Has Wings... Anonymous

It would seem my soul
has the wings of a bird,

always too seldom gliding
on a kind wind,
meeting randomly with storms
in which holding is a fight.

Or the wings of a cloud —
certainly the steadfastness of it,
always there somewhere,
never constant, never defined;
an occasional rain
giving back a certain balance.
for if my soul indeed has wings,
then love is the very air.

My Favorite Quotes

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Ralph Waldo Emerson

"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be."

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Ancient Indian Proverb

"Certain things catch your eye, but pursue only those that capture the heart."

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George Addair

"Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear."

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Washington Irving

"Love is never lost. If not reciprocated, it will flow back and soften and purify the heart."

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Ralph Waldo Emerson

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

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Miguel de Cervantes

"Never stand begging for that which you have the power to earn."

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Alfred Korzybski

"There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything; both ways save us from thinking."

Charles Dickens

"I have been bent and broken, but—I hope—into a better shape."

Antoine de Saint Exupery

"And the fox said to the little prince: men have forgotten this truth, but you must not forget it. You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed." 

Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

"One's first step in wisdom is to question everything -- and one's last is to come to terms with everything."

Mary Shelly

"Beware, for I am fearless and therefore powerful."

Paul McCartney

"If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian."

Igor Stravinsky

"Just as appetite comes by eating, so work brings inspiration."

L.M. Montgomery

"It's been my experience that you can nearly always enjoy things if you make up your mind firmly that you will."

Albert Einstein

"Your imagination is your preview of life's coming attractions"

Euripides

"To a father growing old, nothing is dearer than a daughter." 

Mary Shelly

"Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change."

Lewis Carroll

"It's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then."

Louisa May Alcott

"I’m not afraid of storms, for I’m learning how to sail my ship"

John Locke

"No man's knowledge here can go beyond his experience."

Saul Bellow

"Everybody needs his memories. They keep the wolf of insignificance from the door."

Emily Brontë

"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same"

William Shakespeare

"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so"

Thomas Paine

"The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph."

Pythagoras

"The oldest, shortest words — "yes" and "no" — are those which require the most thought."

Thomas Hardy

"If Galileo had said in verse that the world moved, the Inquisition might have let him alone."

Letitia Elizabeth Landon

"A great change in life is like a cold bath in winter — we all hesitate at the first plunge."

Vincent Peale

"Change your thoughts, and you change your world."

Grandma Moses

"Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be."

Walker Percy

"We love those who know the worst of us and don't turn their faces away."

Eleanor Roosevelt

"Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

Dalai Lama

"Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck."

Alexander Pope

"Be thou the first true merit to befriend, his praise is lost who stays till all commend."

Confucius

"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop"

Lorraine Hansberry

"The thing that makes you exceptional, if you are at all, is inevitably that which must also make you lonely"

Sir Claus Moser

"Education costs money. But then so does ignorance."

Farrah Gray

"Build your own dreams, or someone else will hire you to build theirs."

Abigail Van Buren

"If you want your children to turn out well, spend twice as much time with them, and half as much money."

Vincent van Gogh

"I would rather die of passion than of boredom."

Oprah Winfrey

"You don't become what you want, you become what you believe."

Albert Einstein

"A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new."

Green floral Visitor Comments header banner

June

The Joy of Holding Hands — Harry and I began holding hands when we first met and continued to do so until his passing. I truly miss his touch and your article brought many tears to my eyes. Thanks so much for writing this heart felt article and sharing with others — the touch of…

Stephenlix

The focused yet complete nature of this article (Living Time Capsule) makes it a fantastic resource. I truly value the systematic approach you took to ensure every single point was covered perfectly.

Joy Morris, author

I loved your eight sentences, Tommy. You have an unusual knack for using descriptive language in all of your stories. I see a fantastic book in the near future. See you soon.

Debby

Your missive brought tears to my eyes. I am glad you had this moment with your dad. I know he…

Betty Berry

What a great story! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Thanks for sharing, Jane!

Susan Chappelle

I love the perfect illustration you added for Jane’s story, Tommy!

Tommy

I started my website in February 2017…Tommy

DichaelCoalm

Wow, wonderful blog format! How long have you ever been running a blog for? you made blogging look easy. The…

Betty

You did great. But no I can’t remember mine much less put it into 10 sentences , it all had…

Website 

I am always browsing online for tips that can benefit me. Thx!

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    The Joy of Holding Hands — Harry and I began holding hands when we first met and continued to do so until his passing. I truly miss his touch and your article brought many tears to my eyes. Thanks so much for writing this heart felt article and sharing with others — the touch of…

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