From an early age, it seems like we always hear the advice to “be yourself” and “to thine own self be true.” But what exactly does that mean? And what does self-expression look like? How do we go about showing our uniqueness and individuality to the world? That makes us vulnerable, and that can be […]
Years ago at one of the first family holiday meals after marrying my husband, I can remember this brief conversation: Mother-in-law: “Do you want a slice of pumpkin pie or apple pie?” Cousin: “Yes, and ice cream on top, please.” What I like about this illustration (besides the idea that you can have two desserts […]
“Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” ~Semisonic, “Closing Time” A friend of mine was telling me recently about a difficult breakup she was experiencing. The ending of a relationship is rarely easy and is often fraught with complicated emotions, messy situations, and disappointments. We have such high hopes at the beginning of […]
Recently I happened to be standing outside a large room where a group of teenagers were singing and making music together. They were singing the kind of song where some of them were singing one line of song lyrics while the rest were singing another line of lyrics simultaneously, and then they’d sing the chorus […]
Sometimes remaining stagnant is just as scary as taking a huge risk. Have you ever turned down an opportunity or declined to take a chance on something because you were afraid of the risk? We hear financial advisors talk about ‘risk management’ in terms of making safe investments for our retirement funds or college savings […]
From my kitchen window, I can see a huge maple tree over my neighbor’s roof and across the street. Around this time every year, I start looking (ok, squinting) to see if the tree’s outer leaves are starting to take on a hint of color. Last week I noticed that one branch had begun to […]
Recently my family took a weekend trip to Mammoth Cave National Park. One of the activities we looked forward to was taking a couple of cave tours. The cave system is truly amazing and incredible! On both cave tours, the guides each did a demonstration of how dark the caves can be– on the count […]
For several years now, I’ve been canning homemade jams– strawberry, blueberry, and peach mostly. There are nearby farms that produce those crops, and I like supporting the local small farm community here. Plus, I like knowing that the only ingredients in my jam are fruit and sugar. There’s just something simple and uncomplicated and nostalgic […]
Recently I was watching a talent show on tv. This particular evening a young woman sang, and the audience was thrilled. The judges gushed over her performance, and one judge was so excited about her that she rushed onto the stage to give her a hug. She said several times, “You’re so special, so very […]
This past weekend I spent a couple of hours pressure washing our driveway. It’s a chore that I really don’t mind because it’s easy and satisfying to see the results so quickly. What made it especially easy the past couple of years is the addition of a neat contraption on the end of the washer […]
