Columns

A few mornings ago, I groggily looked up and saw my reflection in the mirror. Because my vanity is wheelchair-accessible, I can see myself when I’m brushing my teeth and fixing my hair. I see the world through two black holes. My dark brown eyes are almost completely black, so…

There is a common saying at New Year’s as people make their resolutions: “New year, new me!” The beginning of a calendar year carries an air of possibility. It is an exciting chance to reflect on the previous year and to plan to make the new year even better. It…

Those who have been following my column about my journey through life with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) have probably noticed that I try to bring every entry to a positive conclusion. No matter how bleak, trivial, heavy, or uplifting my topic seems to be, I try to wrap it up in…

“You’re cured, Matt! You’re cured!” yelled some friends, their shouts echoing in the ballroom of my college’s student union almost 15 years ago. I remained sitting in my wheelchair following this Christian service of a popular healing preacher.  By then, Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) required me to…

Season’s greetings! In the midst of this busy holiday season, I am extra thankful that you are spending a few moments here. I hope that you can find some time to slow down and do something that is life-giving to you. You are important and deserve all the peace and…

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Life with the progressively degenerative disease, Friederich’s ataxia (FA), is hard. Having FA means adapting to relentless disease progression that sneaks into all the parts of my life — physical, mental, and emotional — and complicates them.

This time of year is always chaotic yet fun for me. I enjoy good sweater weather, hot cocoa, and the many Christmas lights I see while driving around town. The chaos comes in many different forms, such as people who aren’t used to driving in the rain, busier days…

It’s December, a month that means so many things to so many people. For me, it means family time, festive fun with friends, traditions, busyness, beautiful twinkling lights, Christmas movies, the miracle of the extravagant grace and love of God, Christmas music — and presents!…

For some reason, the huge tome of American literature that served as my textbook for high school English always opened to the poem, “For the Dead,” by Adrienne Rich. Probably because the page was dead center in that hulking paperback book, that poem…

My family and I went to Tulum, Mexico for Thanksgiving. We love to travel on Thanksgiving because, to us, the most important part of the holiday, and any holiday, really, is to spend time together. We tend to do all-inclusive beach resorts because it’s easy with kids and there is…

Last week, my mom and I visited my aunt and uncle, or her sister and brother-in-law. The trip was different from most of the trips I take, and I’m recognizing that my Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) progression is likely to blame. For starters, although I travel fairly often, I don’t usually…

Hello and happy holidays! Thanksgiving is quickly approaching, and this time of year can be so hectic that it’s often over before we have time to process it. I hope you are able to carve out a few moments during this season to ponder gratitude and to focus on some…