On The Fly

In this episode,  How a Mother’s Love Built My Memories– A Holiday Reflection As this holiday season approaches and the world buzzes with shopping, planning, and busy schedules, I find myself embracing something wonderfully simple: taking a moment to pause. Not to check off a list or recharge devices, but to breathe deeply, remember fondly, and honor the person and place that have shaped my sense of home long before I had the words for it. This year, after regaining my strength from a lingering post-travel fog, my mind didn’t wander to exotic destinations or future adventures. It drifted backward—across oceans and time—to Cuba, Illinois, in the early 1960s, and to the woman whose love built the foundation of my world: Mauricette Elaine (Bontemps) Ball. My Mom . We came to Cuba after leaving La Rochelle, France, in 1959—a transition so dramatic I only appreciate its enormity now. My mother, barely in her mid-twenties, stepped off that plane and into the Midwest with a courage that s...

In this episode - Family Stories . . . When you travel, you will frequently meet new people, and the conversation may lead to the question, "Where are you from?” “Cuba,” - then I wait for their expected response. “Havana?” They ask. “Nope, Havana is about 19 miles from Cuba on the Illinois River.” “Cuba, Illinois.” Hah, ha! People furrow their brows, squint their eyes, then smile as they finally get the joke. This always elicits a chuckle and sets a friendly, humorous tone for the conversation. What reminded me of this, you ask? When handed the microphone, this was my running joke at the annual Ball Family Reunion on Saturday, August 12, 2023, hosted by my aunt Deanna Ball in Fairview, Illinois. I’ll admit this was probably the first reunion I’ve attended in about 50 years. Followers of my blog may know that my father's side of the family had nine children: Lawrence and Helen Ball's kids, who lived in rural Canton, Illinois. As each sibling married, they had, on average, ...

Heartbroken, in tears, at a complete loss for words . . . it can’t be! This was my overwhelming and immediate gut-wrenching reaction when I received the following text message at 10:46 a.m. on October 9, 2019. “Your sister is no longer with us.” “But, she was recovering?!” Just a few days prior, her personal team of doctors; heart, lung, 24/7 on-duty nurse, ECMO   technicians, and an arsenal of other specialists at the University of Chicago Medical Center were optimistic - what happened, why - how is this possible . . . So many thoughts and emotions poured through my entire being.  “She's Tough,” said the doctors. Michele beat the odds and made it through a complication in her condition that required surgery to remove a blood clot and fluid buildup on her heart. I had just returned home from the Chicago hospital. And said to my wife Lori, “She regained consciousness, recognized me, and blew me a kiss.” Really, my beautiful Lil' sister Michele Lu...