As we approach the third anniversary of Evan’s drowning, it seems fitting to honor his memory by posting a piece he wrote June 15, 2008, while he was in the army. He was 25 years old at the time. Just two months prior he had been hit by an IED while on security duty in…
Author: lanibogart
Things I enjoy -family, friends, all things human, creation, recognizing God in everyday life, singing, listening to other people's stories, running, knitting, visiting Guatemala, wine with good conversation . . .
My Mountain & Our Home
“That’s my mountain! That’s my mountain!”The words clamored loudly in my head, while outwardly I remained silent. When still living in Guatemala, I had dreamt vividly of a desert mountain. In the dream, I was rearranging furniture so as to better view the mountain and thereby draw closer to God. The dream impacted me so…
His Box of Letters
Arranging things in my closet, I find a box of letters. Atop the papers and envelopes is Evan’s Purple Heart license plate. I wonder vaguely if I ought to display it rather than hiding it away in my closet. Beneath the metal plate I find letters written by two of Evan’s many grieving friends and…
My Dad
This is my Dad. He was born in 1929, and this picture was taken about 1935. And here’s my dad during my most recent visit to Arizona. At age 95 he’s mostly cheerful, and always grateful. My Dad. I’ve been thinking of all the changes he’s seen in his lifetime. It’s a completely different world…
Spring in Houston
What a beautiful place to live! A couple of weeks ago Doug and I walked around our vegetable garden (a couple of raised beds in the backyard) and were wowed by the speedy growth of the tomato, squash, and green bean plants. Balmy breezes, flowers blooming, grandchildren playing nearby, a gangly puppy, fresh herbs for…
Betrayal
One of the reasons Lent feels so long is because of the unrelenting message of Jesus’s passion and death. As time plods on, the readings intensify their focus on Christ’s passion. It can be tempting to disengage, but remembering the pain he endured makes it harder to delude ourselves into thinking God doesn’t understand our…
Not Abandoned
For more than 50 years I cherished a passage from the prophet Isaiah (chapter 43) which I’d committed to memory as a teen. Here is part of it: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name: you are mine. When you pass through waters, I will be with you; through rivers, you…
Deep Connections
As I listen, anxiety from a first meeting with a room-full of strangers fades away. I feel the connection of having made a similar journey into the Church. The group is welcoming, each sharing the story of how God has intervened in his or her life. Every account is unique and personal, yet with the…
We Yearn
As a toddlerHe yearned to right wrongsA drowning honey beeStung his handWhy would the bee sting me, he cried, while I saved its life? As a young manHe yearned to right wrongsHeart beneath army gearUnimaginable horrorsWe did things as boys, he confessed, that we can’t live with as men As a veteranHe yearned to right wrongsBi-polar, PTSDInward battles ragingWhere…
Covid Positive
Today I tested positive for Covid. The last time was in February 2022 in the weeks between Evan’s accident and his funeral Mass and burial. With the positive test all the thoughts and feelings came flooding back. “Really? Is this necessary? Isn’t it enough that our whole world is off-kilter because our son who was…
Inundated with Love 