When I was a kid, I used to watch Little House on the Prairie reruns all the time. It was one of my favorite shows, and I can remember watching it with my childhood best friend all the time. There are a few episodes which stand out in my mind very clearly: when Mr. Edwards came… Continue reading A simple orange
Just Monday I shared about a special gift I received from a student many years ago. That story is a wonderful one to me but it tugs at my heartstrings because I feel like I was once a teacher but am not one any longer. My psychiatrist fights me on this point, saying that while… Continue reading More gifts
At this time of year as people we don’t see all the time gather and find they don’t have a ton to talk about, someone will inevitably ask, “What’s the most wonderful gift you’ve ever received?” I really like it when this comes up, actually, because I love to hear all of the stories of… Continue reading The best gifts
When I was working towards my master’s degree in England, I had some pretty interesting people as my professor advisors. One was a tiny, old priest who I instantly trusted and adored. When I was working with him he recommended a certain book, which I discovered in my search in the library was considered a… Continue reading Death of a hero
It’s finally here! It’s the holiday season and I am beside myself with the joy of the season. This year is the second for my family being back in the same time zone as all of our immediate family and this is the first year that we really have some flexibility. We had a quiet… Continue reading The most wonderful time of the year
This Thanksgiving I am reminded how many things I have to be thankful for, the same as most of you lovely people. I could go into a speech about Daughter and Husband and all of our blessings in the past year. This morning, though, as I was lying in bed refusing to get my day… Continue reading Obligatory thankful post
Memory is a funny thing. It can change mostly bad times into mostly good times. It can give you perspective. It can haunt you or help you. One of the weirdest things about memories is the way they can show up out of the blue. This weekend, much of the country got snow.… Continue reading Misty water colored memories
The school in which I worked was a small community, and for many years those of us who worked there were quite a bit like a family. Everyone had their role, just like in all families. One person was the one you went to when you had a problem and you needed help with taking… Continue reading The heart
I’m a white, middle class, Christian woman living in the United States. I’ve never really been part of a group that has beendiscriminated against before. I mean, I had my fair share of getting picked on as a kid, but as an adult I’ve never really been singled out by people who don’t know me.… Continue reading When did that happen?
When I went away to college, I started exploring religion the way some people explore drugs. I wanted to try it all, wanted to have my psychedelic experience and really live. I remember when I was home on a break and my mother asked me which time I was going to church on Sunday. I… Continue reading Losing my religion
Elephants in the Room 