Monthly Archives: September 2026

A Tribute to Jacob Boring

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On September 9, on a flight from Seattle to Pittsburgh, I sat next to an amazing young man named Jacob Boring. We talked for a good part of the flight – talked about travels and adventures, hopes and dreams, and Jacob became my friend. I just learned that Jacob died yesterday. I don’t know the circumstances. I’m in shock. But I feel the need to post the post I posted on my Facebook wall on the day I met Jacob.

September 9:
Our plane was delayed an hour and a half, and so we had extra time to get to know our fellow passengers before we boarded.

There was a man named Robert, sitting in the row of seats across from us, who gave me hope for our world. He was quick to give a friendly smile, quick to move his belongings out of the way for someone with a walker, ready to help and show kindness to whoever entered his space. I told Robert he was one of the good people in the world, and he smiled his kind smile and thanked me.

I always get the best seatmates when I fly. This time I had the good fortune to sit next to Jacob and, sitting across the aisle, his girlfriend, Liberty. Jacob and Liberty had come out from Pennsylvania to spend time in the big mountains of the Pacific Northwest.

Jacob told me they’d hiked the Skyline trail on Mount Rainier. Coincidentally, years ago I’d worked in Paradise on Mount Rainier, and the Skyline trail had been one of my regular hikes. Also coincidentally, my dad had written a book that chronicled the climbing history of Mount Rainier. Further coincidentally, Dad had climbed the mountain 50 times – and had led me to the summit one of those times.

And then (ahem) I might have said, “Before I put my cellphone in airplane mode, let me show you Dad’s Wikipedia page.”

Jacob and Liberty were so fun. I think Jacob and I and Scott chatted nonstop for a good two hours of the flight – we talked about mountains and hiking and traveling; the sports we played in school; Gettysburgh and the ghosts that appear there; and Jacob’s job as an electrician, Scott’s job as a photojournalism professor, and my job as a teacher. Jacob brought out his phone and showed us a video of a bear that had found a camera he’d attached to a tree – the bear had sniffed and pawed at it, and twisted it around. You can see the bear’s big black snout as he zooms in on the camera. Whoah.

When I introduced myself, I said, “My name is Karen. Everyone needs a Karen, right? And today I will be yours.”

Jacob laughed and said his last name was boring. I waited to hear what his last name was so I could determine for myself if it was boring. He started laughing and said, “No, my last name actually IS Boring.” Ohhhhhhh…. and then I started laughing, too. It sounded like the start to a joke: “Karen and Boring sit next to each other on a plane…”

The flight attendants were awesome! They found out I’d just had a birthday, and gave me a chocolate bar and a birthday card in celebration, then sang a round of happy birthday to me when I went to the back of the plane to use the restroom. As I left the plane, the attendants all sent me off with grins and well wishes.

I Took a Right and Ended Up in the Mountains…

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I left the house thinking I was going to end up at Lake Padden or Squires Lake or maybe the Bellingham boardwalk. But I found myself taking a right onto Sunset Drive and the next thing you know I was driving to Mount Baker.

I guess my inner voice knew that the boardwalk and Lake Padden just weren’t going to cut it today. Today I really needed the mountains.

And oh, my friends! It was glorious up there! The colors are starting to change to reds and golds, and the temperature was just perfect.

I stopped at Picture Lake, of course, for the traditional photo of Mount Shuksin’s reflection. This time I did something I’ve never done before, though. Normally, I just walk out far enough on the Picture Lake loop trail to snap a couple of quick pictures, but this time I decided to follow the little loop around the lake and see what there was to see. I’m glad I did that. It’s really pretty on the other side of the lake, and the autumn colors were amazing.

When I finished the loop, I walked down to the other little lake in front of Picture Lake and snapped a couple of quick photos there, too. While I was doing that, a van appeared and a young woman stopped to snap pictures from her window. She was just so full of joy – so happy to be there – that her joy spilled over onto me, and I soaked it up. I asked her if I could take a picture of her taking a picture of the lake. She laughed and said sure. I learned her name is Aliece, and she learned mine was Karen, and we wished each other good days.

I drove on up to the Artist Point parking lot then. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do once I got up there, but I found myself heading up the trail to Artist Point.

There were so many wonderful people on the trail today! Annie and Wendy were visiting from Vancouver (I thanked them for coming down from Canada to visit us); there were Madan and Kusum from Nepal; and folks from the Shuksan Conservancy caring for the alpine meadows – among them Jim, Jana, and Clare.

As I was coming down from the peak of Artist Point I ran into Gail and Todd. I told them that I was up there on impulse – that I’d planned to take a walk on the Bellingham boardwalk, but I’d taken a right instead and ended up here. I told them it was exactly what I needed. I needed the mountains today, and I needed mountain people, too. I learned, then, that Todd and Gail are actually from Bellingham and walk on the boardwalk five or six times a week! How cosmic! “I was feeling despondent today,” I said, “and I could have stayed home and sat in that, but I ended up in the mountains instead.” Todd and Gail nodded their heads in understanding. I think we all needed the mountains today.

As I was coming down back to the parking lot, guess who I ran into? Aliece!! Oh, she’s so fun! I learned that she is an actual professional photographer – she showed me photos of some of the weddings she’s taken, and her photos were AMAZING!! I told her how much I appreciated her joy, and she said if you don’t feel joy up here, there’s not much anyone can do for you. I started cracking up. I mean. She was totally right. She said she’d come up here from Vegas to visit her father, and she was pretty sure that Washington State is one of the best places in the whole world. (I’m paraphrasing here, but that’s the essence of her thoughts. And I agree with them.) Before we parted – Aliece to continue up to the top of Artist Point, and me to go back to my car – we gave each other a good hug.

I’m so grateful for my day wandering around in alpine meadows. I’m so grateful for all the wonderful people I met. I’m so glad I took a right onto Sunset Drive this morning.

(Photos by Karen Molenaar Terrell.)

I’m Here to Tell You (That the World Is Full of Good People)

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I’m here to tell you that the world is full of good people. I mean. I think that might literally be my job – to show that the world is full of good people. I met several more good people en route home yesterday.

Sarah was our server at the Burgh Sportz Bar inside the Pittsburgh airport. She was nothing but wonderful – friendly, quick, attentive, and kind – she even presented me with an extra Arnold Palmer in a to-go cup before we left. She agreed to be in a picture as long as I was in it, too – so I handed her my phone and she clicked this photo of us.

Scott and I found our seats on the plane – he wanted an aisle seat this time, so he could stretch out his legs, and I ended up in a middle seat again. As other passengers made their way down the aisle I kept scanning the faces, wondering which one would be my seatmate.

And there he was! “You’re so lucky!” I told him when he pointed to the seat next to me. He smiled and raised his eyebrows in question. “You get to sit by me!” I said, and he laughed.

I always get the best seatmates. Always.

Kyle had traveled to Pittsburgh to watch his Steelers win the football game. I asked him if he’d grown up in Pittsburgh – if that’s why he was a Steelers fan – and he said no, he’d grown up near Yakima, but when he was a little kid his favorite colors had been yellow and black, and sooo… the Steelers! Another of his brothers had been a 49ers fan, and a second brother had been a Bears fan – and he had no idea why.

Kyle, Scott, and I chatted for most of the way home. We talked about football, basketball, baseball, track and cross-country. We talked about our work and we learned Kyle works in Adult Protective Services. (I hadn’t even known there was such a thing, but I’m glad to know there are people like Kyle making sure that vulnerable adults are safe.) I asked Kyle what his favorite subject had been in high school, and he told me that he’d really been interested in studying the Civil War when he was in high school. I told Kyle that the Civil War was one of the units I’d taught my 8th graders, and it was one of my favorite subjects to teach. We talked about our visits to Gettysburgh, and the Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. Kyle talked about a WWII museum he’d stumbled upon in New Orleans – one of the best museums he said he’d ever visited. We talked about the Mariners, travels, zip-lining, and trying to learn how to speak a foreign language. Kyle was smart and fun and I was so glad I got to sit by him.

The flight was uneventful, and we soon landed back in the land of big volcanoes.

I think my favorite part of traveling is all the cool people I meet along the way.

I Stayed Off the Internet This Morning and Went for a Walk

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I had a lovely walk on the boardwalk this morning – the temperature was perfect, the water dazzling, and the people and puppies I met along the way filled my heart all up with joy.

I decided to stay off the internet this morning and just go out into the world with an open heart. It was great!

I started my adventures at Village Books in Fairhaven. Earlier in the month I’d gotten one of those birthday postcards from Village Books that gave me 25% of one item at the store. I knew just what “item” I was going to use it for, too. Every September either Louise Penny or Richard Osman puts a new book out into the world, and I traditionally use my birthday postcard to buy one of their books. Richard Osman’s We Chase Shadows hit book shelves today, and that’s where my discount went. Once again, I was able to find a signed copy, too!

Then I went upstairs to the Next Chapter Cafe to get the free drink that comes with the purchase of a dessert. I bought a cupcake and got a free mocha, and made a new friend, too! Mischa was working behind the counter at the cafe, and was everything kind.

I brought my book, mocha, and cupcake back to my car and drove down to Boulevard Park for a quick walk on the boardwalk. I ran into Barb on the boardwalk – I’d met Barb at Peace Arch Park last spring, and it was fun to see her again. Barb introduced me to her husband, Mike, and sweet Charlie pup. Then I saw my old friend, Helen, and little Daisy coming down the boardwalk, and we stopped to chat, and then walked together down the boardwalk for a bit. As we were walking, we saw a woman wearing a cool butterfly shirt, and I asked if I could get her photo – there’s Modesa in her butterfly shirt, and Daniel standing next to her.

The autumn colors are just starting to appear in Fairhaven, so I snapped a couple photos of the golds and reds. And the reflections on the bay were beautiful, so I took a couple of reflection pictures.

I, of course, forgot my camera at home. These were all taken with my cellphone.

God Told Me She’s Counting on Me

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I woke up filled with renewed purpose
this morning.
I woke up feeling strong and confident,
and young.
I talked with God,
and She told me that She’s counting on me,
depending on me, trusting me
to express her Being –
Her love.
She told me to “buck up” –
those were Her very words –
and get on with what I need to do,
and to stop getting distracted
by anything that takes me from my job.
I have important work, She told me.
I have a mission of love to fulfill –
and there is not a moment to waste.

God said, “Nothing can stop you from loving,
and being loved.”

– Karen Molenaar Terrell

(Photo of hollyhock by Karen Molenaar Terrell.)

It Doesn’t Have to Be Like This

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It doesn’t have to be like this.
There can be kindness.
There can be thoughtfulness.
We can have peace.

-Karen Molenaar Terrell

Photo of hollyhock by Karen Molenaar Terrell.