No Tears for Sarcoidosis
— Charlton Harris

In 1989, I rented my first apartment. It was in a wonderful brownstone in the same area where I grew up. My family used to shop at the Italian Market in South Philly, an area that stretches about six or seven blocks where outdoor vendors sell merchandise, such as fruits,…

“Who is of so little faith that in a moment of great disaster or heartbreak has not called to his God? Who has not cried out when confronted with danger, death, or mystery beyond his normal experience or comprehension? From where has this deep instinct come which escapes from the…

For the past few days, I’ve been feeling distant in my relationships, mostly because of an unusual series of deaths close to me. This is the 19th year since I lost my mother. It’s also been 18 years since I was diagnosed with sarcoidosis. For some reason, I’ve been…

If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it. That’s a familiar line that most folks have heard once or twice. To be honest, I’ve heard it from my male friends more than anyone else. It seems like they had a specific meaning in mind, but as usual, it means something…

The other day I received a text from an old friend of my wife and me. He needed help editing a video, which is my expertise. He knew I had the software to do what was needed and thought it’d be an easy fix. During our back-and-forth texts, he told…

“I may not know where I’m going, but I’ll let you know when I get there.” I used to say that to a few of my college friends. I was always the one who knew where I wanted to go in life, even though I wasn’t sure how I’d get…

Motivation. It begins as an inspiration that becomes an action toward a goal. That’s what they say, and I’ve listened. Every now and again, I find it hard not only to get motivated, but also to stay motivated. Many factors affect my becoming and staying motivated, and I find the…

And just like that, summer has come to an end. Folks try to hold on to it for as long as they can, but everything must change. Personally, I prefer the fall, my favorite time of year, with its cool, clean, crisp air for me to breathe and comfortable sleeping…

“Don’t let the day get away from you!” Growing up, I remember my family members saying this to my brother and me regularly. It means that you shouldn’t let the day pass you by without doing something. That something could be anything, as long as it was constructive. It was…

Last week, my older brother celebrated his 60th birthday. Wow, 60! My brother and I are two years apart and have a very close relationship. My mother was a single parent and it was always the three of us, so we had no choice in liking each other. He had…

A few days ago, I celebrated the five-year anniversary of the first of my two spontaneous pneumothoraces, a result of pulmonary sarcoidosis. I can’t believe it’s been five years, but I’m happy to celebrate. By all accounts, I’m stable and doing fairly well. About eight months after my…

What have you done today that would make a difference in your life? What did you do yesterday? Are you just going through the motions of existing, or are you living the adventures of your life? These questions may sound a little suspicious, but they have to be asked. They’re…