by Monica Wiant | Dec 21, 2016 | Personal
My dad was wonderful. Ask anyone: His friends, his patients, his students, his family. He is my hero and my inspiration. I’ve written about him here before, but there’s one part of the story that I haven’t shared. I disappointed him.Growing up, I was my dad’s girl. We...
by Monica Wiant | Nov 19, 2016 | Personal, Poland Project
I went to Poland once, when I was 15. It was one stop in my last European vacation with my parents. We visited relatives, my mother’s childhood home, and my grandfather’s grave. It was a powerful emotional experience for my parents, and while I know the trip was...
by Monica Wiant | Nov 9, 2016 | Personal
Dear Evie & Felix,It’s 4:30 a.m. and I am trying to figure out how to tell you that the America you’re waking up in has elected Donald Trump as its next president.You watched the first debate and, even at ages 6 and 9, you saw Hillary Clinton as the more polished,...
by Monica Wiant | Oct 18, 2016 | Personal
Every parent gets the email, amidst field trip announcements and gentle reminders about snack policies. Subject: Head lice was reported in your child’s classroom. It’s an ordinary thing, an email you can delete. It’s always someone else’s kid.Until it isn’t.Ours...
by Monica Wiant | Oct 4, 2016 | Personal, Poland Project
While translating my grandparents’ memoirs for The Poland Project, I’ve had a lot of help from Google Translate. I grew up bilingual, but my Polish is rusty and my vocabulary falls painfully short in areas like World War II weaponry and spy tactics.Google Translate is...
by Monica Wiant | May 26, 2016 | Personal, Poland Project
It began with a third grade assignment. Evie needed to interview an older relative for a history report. Three generations sat down at my mom’s kitchen table in Fargo. “What were your parents like?” Evie asked my mother.She tugged a thread, gently, and a...
by Monica Wiant | May 1, 2016 | Personal
“I hope you win!” my daughter said the first time I told her I was running a race. I laughed. A more realistic goal is to finish without injury, and to not delay the people picking up the traffic cones. I’m slow. I’m overweight....
by Monica Wiant | Mar 21, 2016 | Personal
Dear Evie,Nine years. Nearly double-digits. It’s hard to believe that I’m writing to you again already.Eight was great. You went to your first rock concert, you learned to snowboard, and you tried kayaking. You joined your first basketball team; I think you found your...
by Monica Wiant | Jan 22, 2016 | Personal
There were plenty of reasons for a responsible adult like me to skip this concert: It was a weeknight. We have kids. It was the same night as an important work event. I like going to bed at 9 p.m.Sam and I tend to regret the adventures we don’t take more than the ones...
by Monica Wiant | Jan 14, 2016 | Personal
The first time, it seemed unusual. “Psst… Code Red!” “What?” “Over there!”As I walked toward the locker room at my gym, I heard whispering from a group of teenage employees who were folding towels. The words “Code Red” sounded serious, but their expressions were...
