Articles by Ronald Paxton

Short

Ronald lives in Charleston, South Carolina where he spends his days running, reading, writing, and trying not to get on the nerves of his wife of 39 1/2 years. Gleefully retired from an unremarkable career in financial and social services, Ronald spends his hard won free time writing short stories with a southern theme and setting. His wife, mother, and daughter are his biggest fans because, well, they have to be.

She had a heart too big for any disability to conquer ...

Sometimes there's only one effective way to deal with a hater ...

We teach our children compassion, and are thrilled to see them open their hearts to the world. But when we have to teach them about worldly practicality, how well must they learn those lessons?

The Spirit of Christmas is found in the heart, and in a helping hand ...

He wasn't seeking fame or fortune, but he hoped that how he lived his life would stand up to his reflection in the eyes of his son ...

It takes only one wrong step to show you your mortality. And then, when you know your time is limited, it takes only one clear thought to make the world better for someone ...

What happens at Wild Pony Ranch is almost magical at times ... and yet that kind of magic is accessible in many places, as long as people are willing to reach deeply within ...

There wasn't so much wrong with Annie -- she was just a little different ... maybe she was a bit smarter than most, and could find her own solutions ...

That cold and creepy voice you hear bouncing off the canyon walls? It's yours...

The pain only lasts a short time in the scheme of things, but that last flash of memory, the one in which you can see how it was all going wrong -- that's the thing that cripples your heart...

Yes, it was just as good as taking out an ad in the newspapers ... wait, does anyone read newspapers any more? Maybe it was a lot better than taking out an ad!

Some call it progress; some prefer to shop at chain stores because they can get the same product in Maine or in Oregon; and some see it as the end of an era...

Without hope to cling to, all seems lost...

Remember to be open to kindness, even when it seems like it's too late...

An open heart, a listening ear, and a love of the game...yes, that's it.

In a dark alley, the result of past misfortunes waits. Can a still-grieving heart be healed?

Sometimes memories are the worst ghosts...

At the end of things, you have to focus on the present -- the present that is what you see...

Life is good, but endings...

Was it a second chance, or the chance of a lifetime...?

Poem

"...Under the boardwalk, above the boardwalk, nothing changes..."