I live at the end of a cul-de-sac. There are two ways to get to the houses on my street, or at least, there used to be. A few months ago, the bridge that connected my street to a main road closed for construction. Almost every time I’m out for a walk, I’ll see an independent delivery driver, most likely a DoorDasher, make their way up to the bridge, encouraged by their GPS, only to realize it’s a dead end. If they’re close enough, I’ll give them a wave and then watch as they

I’ve always loved finding stuff. As a little girl, it was nearly impossible to get me to come inside. In the springtime, as soon as the sun came up, I would be outside with a bucket, head to the ground, searching for “treasures.” Those “treasures” included rocks, sticks, leaves, acorns, slugs, frogs, and (if it was a good day) a salamander. I would turn over every rock to make sure I didn’t miss a thing. Once my collection felt complete, I would pour it out proudly and sort t

I love being a college professor. But you know what I hate? When I fail my students. I once had a student receive an incredible job offer from the Fortune 500 company of her dreams. But there was just one caveat...she would have to relocate to a new city where she didn’t know a single person. She enthusiastically accepted. One day after class, we were chatting about her upcoming move when she asked, “Do you have any advice on how to make friends after college?” I paused, then