It’s been a “work hard” kind of summer. And then a couple of weeks ago, my husband, youngest daughter, and I took a few days away and ran off to San Diego for a few days. To relax. Catch our breath. And that’s where I took the photo of the tree I used in today’s blog post. Well, the actual …
In Others’ Words: Ignite!
It’s back to school time, friends. Not for me … no, no, no. But it is back to school for my youngest daughter — who is a junior in high school — and a gazillion other people, of course. My daughter is finishing up her required summer reading. (Three books. And papers.) And we’re also doing all the necessary prep. …
In Others’ Words: Redefining Failure
Failure used to scare me — the thought that I would attempt something and not succeed. And because I was afraid of failing, I said no to a lot of things. Why try something if I couldn’t guarantee success? If there’s one thing my writing journey has taught me, it’s that I’m going to experience times of success … and I’m also …
In Others’ Words: Simple Gratitude
Joy and gratitude . . . for me, the two are intertwined. Joy is an expression of gratitude. Gratitude leads to joy. And we can never have too much joy and gratitude in our lives, can we? Of the two, we have to be more deliberate about expressing our gratitude for the people in our lives. For the special graces God bestows …
In Others’ Words: The Beauty of a Broken Heart
When I was younger, I thought there was only one way my heart could be broken. I blame my limited thinking on all the Harlequin romances I read as a teenager — and back then, Harlequins were quite innocent. Years later, I know a person’s heart can be broken for many different reasons: the end of a relationship — think of …
In Others’ Words: Milestones and Moments
Life is both moments and milestones. Yesterday, my daughter CJ just accomplished a major milestone in a teenager’s life: She got her driver’s license. An hour later, she drove off in my car, heading to a volleyball workout. Did we celebrate that milestone? Oh, yes, yes, we did! Photos were taken and posted on Facebook and Instagram and there was …
In Others’ Words: Spending Money
I believe that you can never have too many books. Here’s proof: A year ago, my husband and I did some time-to-get-serious cleaning of closets and bookshelves. I forced myself to part with some books. (When I wrote that last sentence, I originally typed the words “get rid of” but that sounded so callous.) I cried when I had to …
In Others’ Words: Be Mindful
We fool ourselves sometimes, don’t we? We created a nice, safe, manageable lives for ourselves. Our family. Our friends. And then something happens. An unexpected illness. I keep hearing about friends and acquaintances having their gall bladders removed. Or being diagnosed with cancer. Or maybe it’s an accident. Or even a natural disaster. Friends of mine had their house struck by lightening just …
In Others’ Words: The Multiplication of Applause
It’s the most natural thing in the world to applaud when someone does something good, isn’t it? Well, yes … and no. I love to attend Broadway shows. I don’t hesitate to start the applause after a moving duet or rousing dance performance. I’ve clapped my way through more school productions than I can count, not to mention sports competitions, and even …
In Others’ Words: The Unique Power of Attitude
Attitude. Attitude. Attitude. Our attitude takes us a long way in athletic competition, doesn’t it? Our attitude takes us a long way in life, too — which is a certain type of competition, when you think about it. If you’ve been part of the ongoing conversation on this blog for a while, you know I wasn’t much of an athlete growing …