Tag Archives: family

A Letter to My 100-year-old Self.

Posted on March 10, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

If I ever make it to 100, it will be a family record. So what would I say to that future version of myself? Mostly questions—about family, faith, writing, and whether the diaper fits. Continue reading →

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Love Is the Only Thing I Can’t Live Without

Posted on March 3, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

We think our lives depend on our phones, our cars, our tools. But strip everything away and one truth remains: objects are replaceable. Love isn’t. Continue reading →

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The Phase That Slipped Away

Posted on February 28, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

Some goodbyes don’t come with speeches or slammed doors. They arrive quietly — in miles, in distance, in the realization that fatherhood has shifted from daily presence to chosen connection. Gratitude doesn’t erase the grief of what changed, but it steadies it. Continue reading →

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Six Months From Now…

Posted on February 24, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

A wedding funded. A certification completed. A garage still packed. A book still waiting. And in the next six months? A granddaughter on the way — and a challenge that’s staring back at me in the mirror. Continue reading →

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The People Across the Table

Posted on February 20, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

The people I most love to be around aren’t a crowd. They’re the ones across the table — the ones who know me without explanation and stay anyway. Continue reading →

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Sixty Miles in Orange and Blue Shoes

Posted on February 19, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

In 2006, as my mother battled breast cancer, I laced up a pair of orange and blue Mizunos and walked sixty miles over three days. They didn’t cure anything, but they carried me through one of the hardest seasons of my life — step by step, mile by mile. Continue reading →

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The Gift That Stopped Time

Posted on February 18, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

A few Christmases ago, my daughter gave me something I didn’t even know I still longed for — a custom portrait that reunited three generations of our family, including my mother, who passed away in 2007. It hangs in our living room now, a daily reminder of legacy, love, and a daughter who knows her father’s heart. Continue reading →

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Looking Back at Their Lives — And Measuring My Own

Posted on February 13, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

When my parents were my age, they were leading ministries, running newspapers, writing music, and shaping lives. I’m not walking the same paths — but I’m realizing how much of who I am comes directly from who they were. Continue reading →

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Home Isn’t the House

Posted on February 11, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

I once lived in a house that bounced, sagged, sank into the earth, and secretly hosted a thriving rodent community. And somehow, I still loved it. These days, I live somewhere far more stable—but the real difference is who I share it with. Turns out, home isn’t about perfect construction. It’s about a solid foundation where it matters most. Continue reading →

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It’s Time to Make a Few Calls

Posted on February 10, 2026 by Douglas Blaine

When truly great news arrives, my first instinct isn’t to celebrate alone—it’s to reach for the phone. The people we call first say a lot about who grounds us, who understands us, and who makes joy even better when it’s shared. Continue reading →

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