Apr 3Remembering to Dance in the RainChronic illness while writing comes with its fair share of storms. — Outside, the clouds have gathered, stealing away the sun and turning the day gray. The temperature has dropped twenty degrees and the winds have picked up. The squirrels are sheltering in their nests and the trees wave in the changing weather with willowy arms. Without looking outside, I know a…Chronic Illness8 min readChronic Illness8 min read
Oct 17, 2022The Yellow Umbrella From Auction #93An accidental purchase became my favorite reminder to look deeper at what is before me. — The auction advertised a vintage wrought iron outdoor dining set. We’d purchased a similar small set years before and I’d been looking for a larger version ever since. We had a big birthday party coming up and the new set would provide ample seating number for a fall barbecue. …Optimism5 min readOptimism5 min read
Sep 4, 2022Discovering the Beauty of the JourneyMother Nature reminded me to slow down and appreciate the middles, not the ends. — There in the yard lay a neon yellow blur. The dogs rushed towards it, anxious to rediscover whatever bright discarded toy they had left behind. My husband, knowing we had no such toy, was hot on their heels. …Nature6 min readNature6 min read
Jul 29, 2022Taking Time Off From Writing Helped Me Finish My NovelI never imagined a writing sabbatical would be the key to finally finish my book Recently, I took six months off from writing in the public eye. I deleted all my blogs and did my best to ghost any readership I had built — much to my own detriment. Six months turned into eight months, then maybe nine. Honestly, I lost track. The goal of…Writing4 min readWriting4 min read
Jul 18, 2022Finding a Purpose is a Big DealBut what about the little things that make it so hard? Sometimes, it’s the little things. It is the paver stone in the backyard that sunk in one corner when a mole tunneled underneath it last summer. It is the dog water bowl tipping as I pick it up and…Introspection3 min readIntrospection3 min read
Jul 18, 2022A Stray Cat in the Woods Breaks MeIt’s just a cat I tell myself, but something deeper lurks beyond. I look at the clock. It’s 4 a.m. A migraine shreds the vision in my right eye and the pain arcs in unison with a mewling screech of a stray tom cat from outside my window. Fifty acres…Introspection2 min readIntrospection2 min read
Published inThe Personal Essayist·Oct 14, 2021Penny For Your Thoughts?I learned a valuable lesson from online auctions. — I flip through the online photos, each assigned a number and code. Lot 232: A gilded frame surrounds a print of a young child with a fuzzy-coated kitten, the paper water-stained and creased in the top right corner. Lot 312: A small intricate wooden box is stamped with the country…Nostalgia5 min readNostalgia5 min read
Published inThe Personal Essayist·Jul 9, 2021Hope Blooms at Four O’clockPutting down roots doesn’t always come easy — A year after we moved into our dream house, we realized the previous owner’s gardening aspirations far surpassed our own. With our new tractor, we moved small boulders and ripped out acres of weed cloth. We dug out the old growth and pulled barrels full of weeds. When it was…Life5 min readLife5 min read
Published inThe Brave Writer·Jan 20, 2021Let’s Talk About TrollsI wished someone had given me this advice before I found my haters. — I’m a storyteller by nature. My children will tell you they are scarred by the ridiculous cautionary tales I made up over the years. Even Christmas trees can come to life and maim children who try to steam the tape off their presents before December 25, just ask them. I…Writing8 min readWriting8 min read
Published inP.S. I Love You·Jan 16, 2021Nursing Old WoundsA past kindness changed my life and had an unexpected ripple effect. — My daughter is a nurse, a fact of which I am immensely proud. At only 23, she has handled the children and the elderly, the fatally ill and the marginally injured alike, with expert care. …Love4 min readLove4 min read
