“Heroism doesn’t always happen in a burst of glory. Sometimes small triumphs and large hearts change the course of history.” — Mary Roach The gateway to the Luxembourg American Cemetery opens wide, inviting visitors to remember the thousands who died in the midst of war. The rows of white crosses [...]
Here’s the truth. I do not like horror movies. No. I will be the first one out of the room, head under a pillow, eyes shut tight. My heart still races when I think of The Exorcist and Silence of the Lambs. Did anyone else in the theater [...]
What do you hear? Sounds abound. at dawn, birds sing, wings flap, leaves crunch, wind swirls seeming silent— never. I went out before the sun peeked over the horizon, and the sky still held the dark of night. The birds had not yet begun their morning call-and-response. At first, [...]
If you have been with me for a while, you know I am a lover of words and stories. I read them. I write them. I love them. When I taught middle school (that delightfully awkward age around 13), my daily challenge focused on convincing a bored and [...]
Today I will take you down memory lane. Specifically, a meeting with the superintendent and an assignment I have never forgotten. The superintendent didn’t have any details or parameters for this project, only a simple directive: “We need an ethics course.” I returned to my desk and took the [...]
Music embraces. Music consumes me, always has. I remember the small record player and a stack of plastic children’s records that I played over and over for hours. Around the age of five, I wanted a piano, a real piano, not the small toy version with only ten [...]
The first day of fall arrived in Southeast Texas this week, bringing mid-to-high ninety temperatures. I won’t be pulling out my sweaters anytime soon. What was I expecting? By now I should know that fall creeps past this part of the world, lingering into winter. The trees hold [...]
Three generations of women traveled across the Atlantic to fulfill a dream and a promise. A promise made to a nine-year-old when she wanted to be a part of the “girl talk.” That promise became a dream to travel together and experience the wonder and magic of Paris. [...]
You borrow some. I collect words and ideas. Whenever I find a phrase, a sentence, or an entire paragraph that speaks to me, I write it down These snippets find their way on sticky notes, in my journal, Apple Notes, or an Excel file with over 1,200 entries. [...]
First, a few poetic thoughts . . . “…whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting— over and over announcing your place in the family of things.” — Mary Oliver, “Wild Geese” in [...]
