I was fascinated with the sound, th, th, thth, th, th, thth, as the tip of my shoe toe nipped against the spokes of my mother's bicycle. I was 4 years old and I loved the feeling the wind in my hair and the warmth of the sun on my back. I was particularly fascinated with the vibrational sound that my shoe made as it flirted with the spinning spokes … [Read more...]
Crossing the Border from 2012 to 2013
I love borders, borders of states, countries, time and imaginary lines that serve as worldwide dividers like the equator. I have stood with one foot in Italy and the other in the Vatican; one foot in Ireland, the other in Northern Ireland. My family has driven miles out of our way to cross the Artic Circle in Finland, the Continental Divide in … [Read more...]
Make Christmas Memories
Christmas time is full of memories and opportunities to make new memories. In my childhood family we had a lot of Christmas traditions, some we picked up in various countries, some from my parents childhood and others that my brother and I made up. Many of my favorite memories of childhood revolve around the Christmas holidays. I don’t … [Read more...]
Reach for Unseeable, Seemingly Unreachable Goals
When I was 8 years old we moved to Munich, Germany from Dallas, Texas, where if there was even a light dusting of snow on the ground, school was cancelled. That year I remember that I stood 4 feet, 4 inches tall and overnight it snowed 4 foot 6 inches. I woke up delighted at the thought of a mega snow day. Much to my surprise this was only the … [Read more...]
Win the Battle Against Yourself to Victory
Have you ever come upon a roadblock in life and declared victory for the other team before you even tried? Ever had a task that needed to be done in order to reach your goal that defeated you with no opposing effort? Sure you have, we all have, every time we say "I can't", "I don't do that", or "that isn't my job" we are surrendering before the … [Read more...]
Purposeful Choices
I love traditions, especially holiday traditions. I love everything from the discovery of a new tradition all the way through to the ritual that has been passed down through the generations being faithfully acted out. I love the way my children count on traditions and remind me of them every year to insure that none will be left out or forgotten. … [Read more...]
Allow For Being Human
Recently a friend of mine wrote on Facebook, “Wishing sharpies were washable....” after her young daughter had used a sharpie for “artwork” all over a family members bedding. I knew that my friend had already dealt with disciplining her daughter and wrote back, “Might as well give the kids a pack of colorful sharpies and let them go to town to … [Read more...]
Go Shake a Veterans Hand in Gratitude
I grew up on military bases in foreign countries, and still, it wasn't until I was much older that I truly understood the full extent of the sacrifice that our military makes every day for our freedom. This song, 'Veteran's Hand, written by Prevo Rodgers Jr. after he returned home in 2006 from a tour in Iraq is a great reminder that we should … [Read more...]
Action Acts as a Magnet Towards Finding Purpose
I have a love hate relationship with sleep. On one hand I love to sleep and on the other hand I have trouble quieting my mind to go to sleep. My sleepless nights have given me plenty of time to ponder sleep and the various ways in which we can sleep through life; even when we are awake. The last time I physically slept through life was in … [Read more...]
Fierce Love Blurs Negative History
When I was a child my mother never let me use coloring books. She didn’t want me to learn to color within the lines. She taught me to use the entire piece of paper when I colored. She taught me that the sky should take up at least half of the page and not be a tiny blue line at the top of the page. She taught me to use all the colors in the Crayola … [Read more...]
Search the Horizon for a Patch of Blue Sky
When I graduated from high school, I literally walked out of the ceremony, posed for pictures and walked away from everything and everyone that was related to my two years of high school in San Antonio. I went to college at Lewis & Clark in Portland, Oregon and never looked back. When I left for college I thought I would never step foot in San … [Read more...]
