Blog

Mark A. Taylor 6/28/23 Mark A. Taylor 6/28/23

Our 50th wedding anniversary celebration: Very nice, nice enough

Rather than let the day go uncelebrated, I planned a simple dinner with friends. It was special. It was nice. An effort to be remembered but not repeated.

Mark A. Taylor 6/21/23 Mark A. Taylor 6/21/23

How and why caregivers order their days around another’s needs

If accommodation is healthy and normal, why does it feel like such a burden to the caregiver?

Mark A. Taylor 6/14/23 Mark A. Taylor 6/14/23

Long friendships, quick goodbyes, and a chapter’s certain end

With the daily changes in our lives, it’s difficult to decide when one chapter ended and another has begun. But crossroads like this one make it clear we’ve turned a new page.

Mark A. Taylor 6/7/23 Mark A. Taylor 6/7/23

‘All my life you have been faithful’—and God’s not the only one!

A freezer full of food—what a reminder of how blessed our lives have been!

Mark A. Taylor 5/31/23 Mark A. Taylor 5/31/23

Everything’s the same. Everything’s different. And that’s OK

Another reunion with friends we’ve known for decades prompts so many memories, along with reflection on all that’s changed.

Mark A. Taylor 5/24/23 Mark A. Taylor 5/24/23

Even with tiny red capes at my ankles, I’d never be a Superman

Those Superman socks made my week, which was good. Because I was forced to admit again I’m really no Superman.

Mark A. Taylor 5/17/23 Mark A. Taylor 5/17/23

Precious people, special days, moments something like ‘normal’

I’ll always want to remember these days with people we love and moments that were almost normal.

Mark A. Taylor 5/10/23 Mark A. Taylor 5/10/23

‘Live in the moment.’ Good advice, even from a daily cartoon

“The wind, the wind. That’s all you think about!” But when the air is still and the night is warm, as it was one evening last week—that’s a time to cherish.

Mark A. Taylor 5/3/23 Mark A. Taylor 5/3/23

Things continue to be different for us. And really, that’s normal

The small or sometimes not-so-small changes in our routine continue to mount up.

Mark A. Taylor 4/26/23 Mark A. Taylor 4/26/23

They call. They come. They help. And I couldn’t be more grateful

Confronted with the loneliness of some caregivers I know, I’m so grateful for those who faithfully reach out to my wife and me.

Mark A. Taylor 4/19/23 Mark A. Taylor 4/19/23

It’s time for me to battle the multitasking monster. But how?

They tell us multitasking is bad for your brain. But here’s the thing: Caregiving IS multitasking. How can I deal with this?

Mark A. Taylor 4/12/23 Mark A. Taylor 4/12/23

Good stress or bad? Pondering the pressures of a busy weekend

Stress is stress, and how we react to it may determine whether it was good or bad. So I’m deciding how to label the stresses of the weekend.

Mark A. Taylor 4/5/23 Mark A. Taylor 4/5/23

Thinking about prayer, Part Two: Four for Evelyn—and me, too!

Four simple prayers betray an insight into what I need to think about more.

Mark A. Taylor 3/29/23 Mark A. Taylor 3/29/23

Should I ‘bother’ God with this? Thinking about prayer, Part One

Of course, every “good and perfect gift” comes from our Heavenly Father. Should I include a dry basement in that category?

Mark A. Taylor 3/22/23 Mark A. Taylor 3/22/23

Who knows what it really means to serve? For sure, I did not

For several decades I would have claimed to understand service. But these days, I’m coming to understand much more.

Mark A. Taylor 3/15/23 Mark A. Taylor 3/15/23

The art of giving what’s dearly needed and completely unexpected

I never would have asked these friends for what they’ve given. Could I be so good and gracious to give so generously?

Mark A. Taylor 3/8/23 Mark A. Taylor 3/8/23

One year later: reflections and a resolve to keep on writing

A friend says my tone is different now than when I first started posting at this blog site one year ago. Maybe. But I’m glad I’ve started chronicling how this journey is affecting us.