Author: Bill Heitland

• January 11, 2023

  Ruby Bridges: Civil Rights Icon

  By billheitland.com Ruby’s courage inspired author’s short story How much love would a family have to pour into the heart of a six-year-old child to offset the onslaught of hatred she would face simply for wanting to learn at an all-white school? Ruby Bridges knows. Ruby’s tested on her ability to compete She endured the…
• December 21, 2022

  Praying for peace on Ukrainian soil

  By billheitland.com I’m reminded of a phrase used often during the winter holidays: Peace on Earth, good will toward mankind. Both peace and good will were stolen from Ukrainians in brutal fashion, forcing them into a war they never wanted. Instead of basking in the glow of bright lights, inhaling the aroma of freshly baked…
• December 10, 2022

  Jogger finds poetry in early morning fog

  billheitland.com Jogging along the perimeter of Creve Coeur Lake, I noticed how the early morning fog seemed to cling to the water. Or was it that the lake didn’t want to let go? Either way it pushed the gray out of a wintry day, suggesting companionship comes in various shapes and sizes, especially in a…
• December 3, 2022

  Talent can’t live on dreams alone

  billheitland.com There’s this notion that you can turn dreams into reality if you just put the talent you were born with to work. Take the plunge. Never give up on chasing your dreams, they say. Hah! That in itself is a dream. It takes opportunity. How else is talent going to grow? Someone has to…
• November 24, 2022

  A bad keystroke can kill you

  billheitland.com Message shrouded in mystery A sympathy card mailed from my doctor’s office left me wondering if I was the last to learn of a family tragedy. The familiar condolence, “sorry for your loss,” is only offered when a death occurs. But whose? And why didn’t anyone tell me? Investigation begins I called one of…
• November 11, 2022

  Wondering about the American soul

  billheitland.com A poignant memory A stranger’s kind gesture happened several decades ago, yet still remains vivid in my memory. I was heading back to my hometown of St. Louis for Thanksgiving after taking a sports writing job 100 miles south in Cape Girardeau, Mo. A much-needed homecoming Seeing family and friends after being separated from…
• October 6, 2022

  Baseball magic at its best in playoffs

  I love the game of baseball, so it should come as no surprise that I become a circus-comes-to-town kid on the eve of the playoffs. Throughout the decades that I’ve been both a sportswriter and fan, the game has always had this magical appeal.
• September 6, 2022

  Stark serenity

  billheitland.com Nature writes its own poetry Nature carries its own silent swath of poetry. It rises early, quickly becoming embedded in one’s consciousness. Here comes the sun The soft gray filament of early morning light stirs, then selects a ribbon of amber and indigo to dress up the horizon. The sun responds to nature’s nudge,…
• August 31, 2022

  Ban my books, please!

  If you’re not holding a winning lottery ticket and have scant funds to promote your book, having it banned might be just as good as a Powerball winner.
• August 13, 2022

  Snatching victory from the jaws of Lenny

  As soon as I realized I must have left my choppers somewhere in the house, I knew this would be a race against time with only one winner – me or Lenny.