Written retrospectively for the 2025 archive.

When I read my forty-two entry alongside “After the House Gets Quiet,” I think about what happens after the first question. It’s easy to ask how somebody’s doing and then move right on to tomorrow’s plans. It takes a little patience to hear what they actually want to tell me.

That’s something I want to keep practicing. I can remember what my wife or one of the kids mentioned earlier and ask about it when there’s time. The answer might be short. It might take most of the evening. Either way, I’d like to be there for it.