David McGrath: My father knew how to make all of his 8 kids feel special
My dad was a salesman in debt half his life and never able to buy us things. But he gave to each of us something way more valuable: himself.
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David McGrath: My mother’s love taught me why participation trophies matter
My mother’s praise in the face of my losing efforts made me feel better as a child. So participation trophy critics should take a breath.
David McGrath: You can run, but you can’t hide from heart risk posed by family genes
I learned a surprising lesson: Even the best exercise regimen may not neutralize the heart health risks your genes pose to you.
McGrath: Remembering back to that Easter week that could have changed lives if not for one heroic act
Our bond was alphabetical: Miller, Messerich, McGrath. As high school sophomores at St. Joseph’s Franciscan Seminary in Westmont, we lined up together in class, sat in the same church pew...
David McGrath: As a youth, I learned that if you’re Irish, you drink. That mindset has consequences.
In my mind, it was not a drinking problem. For we were Irish. It began those summer nights when I was 15.
McGrath: Just like in the movies, I was once the star of my own love story starring the woman in black velvet
Sometimes I become absorbed in a film to the extent that I project myself onto the screen, where I might be, say, Bradley Cooper falling in love with Carey Mulligan...
McGrath: Taking my sister and her husband fishing on the Gulf helps me see what matters most
I have had some trouble sleeping. I have been worrying about a lot of things, like the recent blood test showing a jump in my glucose levels. The 1099 tax...
David McGrath: Taking my sister and her husband fishing on the Gulf helps me see what matters most
I have had some trouble sleeping. I have been worrying about a lot of things, like the recent blood test showing a jump in my glucose levels. The 1099 tax...
David McGrath: Let’s ditch the Electoral College, plus 9 other no-brainer resolutions for the new year
On Jan. 1, 1968, I made a New Year's resolution to quit cigarettes. I lasted barely a month, during which I often awoke in the middle of the night, heart...
David McGrath: The Christmas gift every teacher craves
If teaching were baseball, I would have been sent back to the minors after my first year at Chicago Vocational High School. A 22-year-old English major, I could diagram a...