Writer, Speaker, Editor, Blogger
Last week, a dear friend encountered a monumental life pause when she found her husband on the floor, unresponsive. Three days later, she released him to heaven. We all experience times when life takes a sudden twist that slams us into a “road closed” sign and halts forward motion. Although perhaps not as unexpected and […]
As I sat on my deck one morning this week, I noticed the underlying coolness in the breeze, saw a lone tree branch shaded red, and watched yellow leaves flutter to earth, heralding fall. I knew the temperature would soar to 90 before day’s end, but for those brief moments, I enjoyed the hint of […]
Each year, with the approach of Mother’s Day, I’m reminded of the waiting journey my mother and I had in common, infertility. My parents were married for ten years before I was born. My husband and I were married almost six years before our daughter was born. One of the hardest parts of waiting for […]
No one disputes the fact that last year was difficult. For our family, as for many others, the hard stuff spilled over into the new year. That’s the way it is. Difficult life seasons don’t follow the calendar, advance with any sort of orderly progression, or resolve in the time frame of our choosing. While […]
At times, processing items from my childhood home has been like falling into a time machine and stepping out decades ago. Finding tiny plastic dishes and pots spun me back to a time when I was a preschooler and Daddy would come home for lunch and visit me in the playhouse he built for me. […]
This week heralds the beginning of fall, but, here in the south, the weather hasn’t gotten the word. Although the nights tease with temperatures in the 60s, days top the charts in the 90s. Personally, I have enjoyed the sun-filled days and extra time to swim before putting a lid on the pool for the […]
Have you ever known a person you’d describe as hard-hearted? You know, someone who is closed, non-communicative, devoid of compassion, unfeeling, stern. Behind the stiff exterior are probably many factors related to how and why the person reached this point, but you’d likely never be able to crack through the layers of protective shell to […]
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 […]
People approach the coming of fall from different perspectives. Some are energized by cooler temperatures, excited by the approaching holiday season, and happy about the return of favorite fall foods and flavors. Others, lament the end of warm summer days, extended light, and a more laid back schedule, plus, dread the harshness and darkness of […]