We Were Boys

His name was Frank Langstrom III, but to me he was always, and will forever be Mike.  We became friends when we were both five, after my family moved from Bethesda, Maryland to Birmingham, Michigan.  He and I grew up in a neighborhood where everyone was safe, all the adults were our parents, and every

Last Competition

by Doug Magill Edisto Beach lies south of Charleston, and has a reputation for being undeveloped and out-of-the-way.  The locals call the pace there, Edis-slow.  It was a perfect place for my two brothers, my sister and I to gather in late September to connect, spend time together and celebrate our now aging family.  Late

6 Right Surprise

By Doug Magill Embarrassment is where growth happens. Jaylen Brown “Cessna one-niner-two-niner Foxtrot cleared touch-and-go Runway 6 right.” The Burke Lakefront tower controller’s voice was crisp and authoritative.  I loved that professionalism, and my ability to be part of a brotherhood where the rules were clear, communication precise and expectations high. I acknowledged the clearance

Stone Laser Blues

by Doug Magill It’s about time. I am headed back to the OR tomorrow morning. Been a painful and uncomfortable 10 days.  Headed to the ER on the 23rd before dawn (so you know it was serious – the dawn and I are rarely friends).  Shuffled (literally) into the reception area, doubled over in pain

Song of the Sparrow

By Doug Magill Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.  And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.  Matthew 10 There are times when the definition of

My Father’s Gifts

by Doug Magill You don’t have to deserve your mother’s love.  You have to deserve your father’s.  Robert Frost Father’s Day precedes my birthday by a week. The juxtaposition of the two is a solemn reminder of what I owe to those that I call Father: God for the birth and death of his Son, and