Together — Mark Harrington

On Oct. 10, 1935, the classic of American theater “Porgy and Bess” opened on Broadway. The show was not an instant success. Its first run ended after only 124 performances. Despite this, it went on to become an iconic part of American theater. “Porgy and Bess” demonstrates how…

I’ve learned many lessons about living a happy life. Among the most valuable is the ability to recognize the absurdities daily life can toss our way. I believe we can choose to laugh at these absurdities and prevent them from gaining power over us. We can model the queen in…

“Useless, useless.” Those were the last words of President Abraham Lincoln’s murderer. After killing Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth fled Washington, D.C. A 12-day manhunt ensued. On April 26, 1865, federal troops cornered Booth in a northern Virginia barn. Military orders were to return him to Washington, D.C., for trial. Against…

Can the French teach us something new today? According to Perspectives on History, “In French the word anniversaire means both ‘birthday’ and ‘anniversary,’ whereas in English the two concepts require separate words.” On birthdays, we remember when new life came into the world. Should we change how we view…

As May ends, I, like many Americans, will pause on Memorial Day to remember and honor our sisters and brothers who gave, as Abraham Lincoln put it, “the last full measure of devotion” in service to our country. In my family, Memorial Day has always been special. Each…

After years spent journeying around the world, Ulysses, the main character in Homer’s epic “Odyssey,” reaches the safety of home. Changed by the stimulation of dangerous adventures, he finds the tranquility unbearable. Having passed from youth to old age, he decides to spend whatever time remains on a…

In 2020, a myasthenia gravis (MG) diagnosis completely changed my life. According to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America, the prevalence of this disease in the U.S. is estimated at 14 to 20 per 100,000. That means there are about 36,000 to 60,000 cases. So why was I…

A recent Washington Post article, written in the form of a multiple-choice quiz, challenges many of the assumptions made about people with “disabilities.” I put disabilities in quotations because my feelings about that term are complex and mostly negative. Putting my unease aside, I agree that “research shows that…

Spring has arrived here in Texas. The trees outside my windows have lost their winter grayness and once again have turned my home into a treehouse. It’s the time of year when poets and songwriters tell us that new beginnings, and maybe even new love, are in the air. This…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with prednisone. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. Living with myasthenia gravis (MG), or any rare disease, brings physical and emotional challenges. Since my diagnosis in 2020,…

Years ago, a colleague shared her morning ritual with me. After waking, she thanked God for restful sleep, the excitement of a new day, and the caring people in her life. I adopted this ritual. Each morning, I’m reminded that the new day is an adventure. The little boy in…

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt once said of his fellow Irishmen, “I think there’s something about the Irish experience — that we had to have a sense of humor or die.” The tragic nature of Irish history certainly tested the ability of the Irish to maintain any sense of…