Writer, Speaker, Editor, Blogger
My mother was a skilled and talented seamstress. She made elaborate draperies and table clothes without patterns, and designed and made her own clothes and many of mine. Her skill at altering clothes to fit was amazing and she was able to accurately hold colors in her mind and find accessories that perfectly matched and […]
My father was born January 19, 1919, during the Spanish flu pandemic that claimed over 500,000 lives. A few days following his birth, my father, and his mother, contracted flu. Both were extremely ill, but survived. My grandmother had two children before daddy’s birth and six more children after. My grandfather, father, and his two […]
When my children were growing up, and something they’d committed to became challenging, their inclination was to quit. Unless additional factors came into play, I encouraged them to continue to completion because I knew their feelings of frustration or being overwhelmed would likely subside in a few days. Additionally, I wanted to teach them the […]
January provides the opportunity for a fresh start, a chance to begin again, to make forward motion with plans and accomplish goals. But often those plans fall by the wayside with the first obstacle and goals are put aside when the hurdles are higher than expected or life intervenes. Sometimes the hurdles that halt forward […]
Ready or not, the new year is here. How do you approach it? Many are happy to put the challenges and heartaches of the old year behind and look forward with expectancy to the journey ahead. Others cast a backward glance, clinging to what is behind, hesitant to step onto the road before them. Following […]
I remember one Christmas Day, when our children were small, our daughter stood in a sea of ripped wrapping paper, lifted some of the larger pieces, and exclaimed, “Is that all”? We had been to multiple family celebrations over the course of several days. Each included a time of opening presents. Now, after much gift-opening, […]
Have you ever known someone who is an unwilling recipient? I’ve encountered a few such people, and at the time, I found their reaction difficult to understand. After all, who doesn’t appreciate a gift? But sometimes, those who do not receive well are averse to accepting anything, whether gifts, help, or advice. Here are some […]
Our city was hit by a December snow event again this year. Although we usually don’t get snow until January, this was the second year snow arrived early. As I watched the “wintry mix” cascade from the sky and accumulate on the ground, I pondered the effect snow has on our lives, even if just […]
Last Christmas, we received a poinsettia via a harried florist deliveryman. As he thrust the plant into my hands, I noticed several branches were damaged; others, thin and weak. I propped the damaged branches and petted the plant through the Christmas season and into the first month of the new year. By mid-January, the plant […]
In the last few weeks, I’ve talked to several friends who are caring for aging parents. One described a day when she needed to be with each parent in a different location, with one being an emergent situation. The other friend mentioned how caring for her parent changed the landscape of her weekends. I reminded […]