My former student, Sarah Humway, wrote this post as an essay for English Comp I class last fall. I loved it and asked if she'd allow me to share it with all of you. She agreed. Thank you, Sarah! The most influential person in my life was not only someone who could pick me up... Continue Reading →
I remember attending my first Twelve Step recovery meeting ever. It was an open meeting, and I attended with a friend. I listened. I learned a lot and felt that even though what people were sharing didn't totally apply to me, there was something warm and familiar about it all the same. I couldn't put... Continue Reading →
Dear One, When you died about one month ago, you caught me off guard. You became suddenly ill, and 24 hours later, you were eating pizza, fruit cake, and pudding cups in heaven. I can't say I didn't see it coming. There was something inside of me that whispered, "Go see her more often" about... Continue Reading →
I woke up humming a tune. “Whippoorwills in the willows…” I love that little song. It takes me back to a sweet time in my life when I had fewer cares and responsibilities, a time when love enveloped me like the warm comforter I nestled in as I awoke with the June sunshine streaming in... Continue Reading →
“Kindness is the mightiest force in the world,” according to One Day at a Time (299). In the past, I didn’t feel kind. I didn’t even feel like being kind. I felt like stabbing my ex-husband’s eyeballs with a handful of forks. If you know me now, you may be laughing and trying to imagine me... Continue Reading →
I found myself whispering, too, even though I wasn’t the one hiding in a closet while a drunken man beat on the door. “Bridgett, it’s okay. You’ll be okay. You do not have to answer that door. DO NOT answer the door, okay?” Bridgett cried snotty tears on the other end of the phone. “But... Continue Reading →
Recently, one of my friends reached out to me to inform me that she'd been viciously attacked by her boyfriend (now ex). She described the bruises, and she admitted she felt scared for her life. "You were right about him." In the pit of my gut, I winced. There was a time when I reveled in... Continue Reading →
*Today's blog post is a guest post written by my lifelong friend and former neighbor Leslie Ferguson Thomas. I'm always thankful for Leslie's contributions to my blog, but I'm more thankful for her ongoing friendship, her perspective on life, and her willingness to share it. Leslie's husband is currently battling cancer; please keep them in... Continue Reading →
Today's post is written by Jessica Nicol, a former student of mine, who has truly had her fair share of traumatic experiences this semester. In the midst of them, she has managed to maintain her composure and serenity to the best of her ability, and I think she's become a stronger person as a result.... Continue Reading →
Today's post is written by my lifelong friend Mark Egan. I'm sure you'll appreciate this thoughtful reflection on the deeper meaning of life and love as much as I do. Nothing in life progresses on some linear path. Everything--happiness, health, love, achievement, motivation, self-worth--ebbs and flows throughout life. The valleys are labeled their respective peaks’... Continue Reading →
Gratitude Cup 