Writer, Speaker, Editor, Blogger
This time last year, Jim and I attended a birthday party for our youngest grandson. We laughed, listened to children scream as they came down the water slide, sang, and enjoyed every moment. Two days later, we drove to Charlotte and boarded a plane, bound for a cruise, with ports of call in Italy, Turkey, […]
Maintaining a positive perspective in hard life seasons is challenging. It’s easy to drift into a woe-is-me mindset and forget the way you feel now won’t last forever. One of my most difficult challenges in this season of grief is dreaming about Jim and then waking to find him not here. Sometimes, I don’t even […]
In these months since Jim’s death, I’ve come to view grief as a thief. I know grief is a necessary part of moving beyond loss, but without placing boundaries on grief, it runs rampant, unbridled and all-consuming. Following are reflections on the thievery of grief: Regret Everyone has regrets in grief. Less than an hour […]
When I was a child, a favorite book was “The Gingerbread Man.” For some reason, this week I thought of the ongoing refrain, “Run, run, run as fast as you can! You can’t catch me. I’m the Gingerbread Man!” While the Gingerbread Man might be uncatchable, I’ve learned, no matter how hard you try, you […]
Many years ago, when I was young and unencumbered by aging knees, I climbed out our bathroom window and stood on the sunroom roof. My intention was to wash the windows; however, I quickly realized the power of gravity. I was unprepared for the significant downward pull, prompting a rapid return to the safety of […]
Within an 8-day span, an assassination attempt and a presidential bid dropout changed the political landscape. Personally, on January 3, from morning until afternoon, the landscape of our family’s lives changed. The landscapes of our lives and world are in a constant state of flux. Life’s ever-changing nature often leaves us feeling unwieldy and out […]
This week our area of the country is expected to reach record-breaking high temperatures. People respond differently to intense heat. Some stay inside. Others spend the day in the pool or at the lake. But for those with outdoor jobs, there is no escape. Likewise, when life situations cause you to experience trial by fire, […]
Fillers. All of us use them when speaking. Yours might be “um,” “you know,” or “right.” My four-year-old grandson’s conversation filler is “And guess what.” Although he invites you to guess, he leaves no room for you to speak, plowing forward with his next thought— “And guess what, I have a loose tooth. And guess […]
Shouts. Hoofbeats. Marching feet. Drum and fife. Gunshots. Singing. Tolling bells. Freedom echoes down the portals of time, echoes bouncing off the pages of history into the present. Behind the fireworks, food, and festivities are lost lives, changed lives, tears, and fears. Behind the celebration of freedom is sacrifice. Freedom Leaders As a writer, I’ve […]
Several weeks ago, our pastor began his sermon with a story about pushing the limits on his gas gauge. He went on to equate the story with times we push ourselves too far and end up running on empty. I’m there…running on empty. The first half of this year has been non-stop, with very few […]