Writer, Speaker, Editor, Blogger
(An edited and retitled repost of “Remembrance, Sacrifice, and Freedom” from 5-25-20, honoring my father, H. Asbury Neely and all veterans.) In the mid-1950s, before I was born, my parents went to Switzerland to see the place where my father was held prisoner after his plane was shot down during WWII. They traveled to the […]
When I opened my laptop this week, I was greeted by a black screen with not even a brief flash of light or sound of whirring fan. I tried several different things, but my laptop remained silent and dark. For months, I set aside this week for a personal writing retreat. As I loaded bags […]
As I begin this post, the day is dreary. Rain spatters the window and a steady breeze rustles foliage. If I allow it, the damp dreariness could cast a dark shadow over my mood. But I won’t let this happen, because, in the background, I see glistening green grass. I see beauty. Enjoy Beauty Now […]
As my process of cleaning out continues, I’ve moved into harder areas. I thought the garage was bad, but can now confirm that the attic eaves on either side of the bonus room are worse…much worse. Years ago, we had a problem with squirrels invading attic spaces and “partying down.” I’m finding, and having to […]
For the last few weeks, I’ve been working in our hot, dirty garage, cleaning out years of accumulated junk. There are boxes full of things from Jim’s parents’ house, my parents’ house, and my aunt’s house. Some of those items came to live in our garage because we couldn’t decide what to do with them; […]
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 […]
Years ago, I traveled to New Mexico each year to teach at a writing conference. One year, as the plane banked for landing, the woman next to me sighed and said, “Isn’t it beautiful!” I managed a nod, but what I saw was bleak, barren, dusty, reddish-brown desert. Conversely, she saw the beauty of a […]
While on our trip to Italy, Turkey, and Greece, we visited many ancient sites and viewed everyday items archeologists managed to unearth and piece together. As I looked at these items, I realized these broken vessels are our window to the past, a snapshot of the life and times of those who lived long before […]
Last week, I did a major clean out of three closets. As I worked, I was surprised to discover clothes in a little-used closet that dated back to my college years, almost five decades ago! Although I’m still not finished, I am happy with my progress. Cleaning out isn’t limited to clothing or household items. […]
While on our Mediterranean trip, I made an effort to adjust my perspective beyond what was immediately visible. When we visited historical sites, I made sure I looked below and above. Often, we see only what is right in front of us and lose perspective because we don’t grasp the full picture. Following are thoughts […]