Finding My Voice
Last week, I received an email from a dear friend; in it, she responded to my earlier emailed request to please give me feedback as she reads my posts. With her permission, I'll share the 2 points she raised.First, she noted that I may be limiting my scope and,...
Getting the Job Done — Judy’s Story
This evening I'm going to share part of someone else's story, with her permission. First, though, a bit of backstory. Judy was a friend/older sister to me from when I was about 11 years old until I started college. I admired her zest for life, her spunkiness, her...
Stepping off the Board
My hometown in Southeast Missouri had a large community swimming pool when I was growing up, and each summer until my mom was convinced we could swim proficiently, my sister and I took swimming lessons. At the end of the short "leg" of the L-shaped pool there were...
You’ve Survived the Firsts, so now Everything Must be Fine . . . Right?
The "firsts". If you've attended a wake or a funeral or have read even one article or book on loss (as the result of the death of a loved one, divorce, etc.) and grieving, you've surely heard or seen some reference to the "firsts". Common knowledge tells us that...
You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby! (Living Authentically — part 3)
Confession #1: Through my childhood and teen years, my room was a mess. I only made my bed if absolutely forced to, and any projects I was working on, books I was reading, and school stuff could almost always be found laying around on my bed or desk or on the...
You’re So Strong!
Between you and me, there have been points in the past few years where I have had to grit my teeth and smile when yet another person has said to me, "You're so strong!" There have even been times when, upon hearing that phrase, I wanted to lash out and tell the...
Making “Good” of Even the Worst
Several months ago I heard about "Hello, Mornings!" an online website/group that helps women who are trying to develop a more productive, positive start to their day. I've never been a morning person, and I knew that what I was doing -- rushing around in the...
Accountability
Several things occurred this past week that, to be quite honest, put me in a funk. I spent much of Monday running errands; dealing with traffic congestion, long lines at the few stores I had to visit, a mix-up at the pharmacy that required a 30-minute wait, etc....
Thoughts on Father’s Day
Of course, Americans recently celebrated Father's Day, a day on which we recognize our Fathers with a gift and/or a carefully-selected or hand-made card. Across the country, children of all ages made a special effort to spend the day with their father, many of them...
Living Authentically (part 2 — Simplicity)
"A man's home is his castle", and "Home is where the heart is." Just two of the hundreds of quotes that speak to the importance humans place on the idea of home. Libraries and book stores have hundreds of books on home improvement, decorating, design, architecture,...