Mothering in the Ivory Tower

When I saw the university logo on the envelope, I knew what was in it. I had heard rumors that the budget crisis might reduce the 12 visiting assistant professor’s…

My three-year-old daughter picks up a feather on the playground. She holds it up to the back of her head so it juts toward the sky. “Can we play Indian,…

Today, I turned 40 years old. I hold in my hands the gift I received on my 10th birthday, a white, orange, and gold plastic earring case. And I remember.…

“Well, after looking at these results, I can say that you probably won’t be having any children,” my doctor claimed. I sat there, silently. At that time, I was 29…

My two-year-old daughter looks at me with rain in her face: “Mama, I want to go with you.” I stand, hand on door, my body vibrating with the urgency of…

The first day of my “Themes in American Literature” class began with uncomfortable silence. I felt (though did not see) the collective rolling of 64 pairs of teenage eyes when…

I stand in the library, in my hand a book — red Moroccan leather, with gilt-edged pages, and gold embossing. A rich book that warms to my touch, my hand…

As I opened the mailbox, I saw the yellow notice that my cable bill was overdue. How had I forgotten that one? I took it to the kitchen table and…

I walked down brick pathways to teach my first university class in over two years. I kept my eyes down, looking at each brick as I pass over it, trying…