We removed our shoes and stepped into the Blue Mosque, one of Turkey’s most famous sights. The decorated domes soared over our heads as we pressed in to see this remarkable building. The tourist crowd surged around us, snapping pictures and selfies in the beautiful, and yet empty, room, the large carpeted area cordoned off … Continue reading Saying Our Prayers
Month: October 2023
The Real War
Photo by u00d6mer Faruk Yu0131ldu0131z on Pexels.com Some of us remember when the world’s suffering was relegated to one hour on the nightly news. We watched a sober-faced newscaster recount famines and wars and disasters in far-off places with sorrow in our hearts, and then we returned to a sink full of dishes or our … Continue reading The Real War
A Gift of Chestnuts
We plopped onto a shady bench, weary physically from touring one of Istanbul’s famous mosques in the heat. Weary spiritually from what we’d observed in the intricately decorated building packed with tourists yet devoid of life. “I am old,” my husband sighed to the Turkish man beside us, snacking on a bag of chestnuts. He … Continue reading A Gift of Chestnuts
A View of the Lake 