Each spring, without fail, a robin builds a nest above my front door. For weeks, she sits quietly. A mate arrives, worm dangling from his beak, and feeds their brood. The pair take turns. Two weeks later, flight beckons. The nest is silent and empty. Above it, only blue sky.

Upon retiring as a financial manager at NASA, Ms. Lindstrom took a memoir writing class to explore her childhood and began attending writing conferences, retreats, and workshops to hone her craft. Six stories about her childhood have appeared in online publications under her pseudonym, Lori Lindstrom. See more at lindstromwrites.com.