Powerful Parenting
I have been that mother picking a screaming child off the dirty floor of a Target store while he expressed his deep disappointment about not being able to obtain his 100th pack of Pokemon cards. Stomping feet were the mode of communication used by my youngest for multiple years. Future
Retreat
You retreated into the stillness. It was lonely and heartbreaking. What did you hear in the silence? You are not alone. Your emotions are tangled right now, and you are doing your best to unravel and find some meaning. You can clearly identify the healthy people that bring laughter and unconditional
Everything is Ok
When I was going through cancer treatment I practiced a daily ritual of resting my weary head in my then husband’s lap and asking him, “Is everything going to be okay?” He would rub my bald head and reassure me. The words he spoke were hollow in that he had
Radical Acceptance
My sister Nicole and I were sharing our daily chat when she mentioned the concept of RADICAL ACCEPTANCE. The idea intrigued me, so I searched for a deeper understanding of the meaning behind those two words. My personal definition of radical acceptance was… to completely embrace without resistance. Further reading,
Debbie Downer Meets Negative Nancy
I met her during the summer of 1972. From the beginning, it was clear we were opposites in every way possible. Nicole is petite, athletic, dominant, and competitive. I am tall, clumsy, overly sensitive, and am satisfied with the ribbon given out for simply showing up. Our relationship has not
Happy New Year!
I embraced the thrill of the beginning, as the winter sun signaled a new day. Remembering I had promised Grant we would start 2020 with a power walk, I threw on a hat and laced my sneakers. The soundtrack to Frozen 2 blared through my headphones as I connected with
Becoming Whole
As I walk down the aisles of the world’s marketplaces, I snatch up my heart’s desires. There is an unending list of wants that I just cannot exist without. And yet, I never seem content. I continue my search convinced that the next purchase will finally complete me. If only…when
Essential Empathy
There was a single moment of clarity when I deeply understood that my union was crumbling. We sat side by side on a couch in front of the marriage counselor. I don’t recall the topic being discussed, however there was an unforgettable utterance. When are we going to stop talking about
Broken Places
The jagged edges capable of inflicting pain, and the intricate cracks forming a unique pattern in the glass, immediately caught my attention. Unable to move a muscle, I was inexplicably captivated by the damage. The heap of junk that should have been hauled away, seemed to symbolize my own scars.