A Quotation

October 1, 2025.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Sometimes a quotation just speaks to the heart. This one, by Sanober Khan, author, really spoke to me. I have not read her work, but the poetry in this piece certainly sparks my interest. Do you have a particular phrase or quotation that speaks to you?

Excerpt from Cobwebs: A Short Story

May 3, 2023.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Perhaps Gothic Horror or Psychological Thriller? Read the whole piece.

Sparrows

March 15, 2023.Reading time less than 1 minute.

“A rustle nearby startles me, until I realize it is only a tiny House sparrow foraging about. Two more land nearby and so as not to disturb their scavenger hunt, I stand still and observe them. I’ve always thought of sparrows as unremarkable, and yet watching these little heads bobbing, I can’t help but notice […]

Dormant

February 7, 2022.Reading time 1 minute.

There’s a restlessness in me that defies explanation. It’s not that I am bored – I have any number of creative projects on the go – it’s that I have a sense that I’m missing something, something that lies deep at my core. But what? And how do I access it? Something that is dormant […]

Shelly’s Invisible Treasure Box

October 4, 2020.Reading time 6 minutes.

Known in class as the Quiet One, Shelly is given to wandering away from her desk for no reason. Mostly, she is good natured and easy to get along with, and as her teacher, I can tell you she is quite bright. What most don’t know is that she is a collector, somewhat reminiscent of […]

Creativity Remains a Blessing

August 1, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

The child embraces creativity without limits. I have memories of tucking between my bed and the wall, hidden from view, surrounded by materials for drawing, writing, and colouring. I kept the chaos at bay with my creative endeavours. Life happened, and the pencils and crayons disappeared. Journals remained, but only for private. Mundanity and routine […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #50: Acceptance

May 27, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

“The doctor was adamant that it’s cancer, and I’ve researched it. If it is, it’s not good.” Weeks of repressed fear gush forward, and I find myself crying, mid restaurant, my husband seated across from me. “We just don’t know yet.” he responds softly, taking my hand. “We’ll deal it with one step at a […]

So Many Questions

March 17, 2019.Reading time 3 minutes.

Questions are piling up over here, with very few answers. Isn’t that life? And maybe that is the point: we are meant to reflect, to ponder, to search, to explore. As a teacher, the emphasis was on inquisition: teaching children to think beyond the obvious, find the tools to research deeper. In this ever-increasing digital […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #37: Story

February 25, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

My very first blog post on this site is entitled “Relevance of Story“. It was inspired by the work of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie whose Ted Talk: The Danger of a Single Story, challenged me to think differently about how, as a teacher, I approached my craft. Her words are also a recipe for living compassionately. Each time we open a blog post and read, we are touching a part of someone’s story. Every time […]

Wild Card Moments

February 24, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

Age, I’m determining, does not define me. Each new decade presents a different attitude and energy in regards to life, and sixty is but a new approach. Naturally, the onset of a debilitating illness and all the losses I incurred, made me feel old and redundant, but I’m happy to say, I emerging from that […]

Chickadees in the House

A friend from my poetry circle honoured me with a birdhouse painted with Ukrainian colours. John has since passed away, and this summer we were finally able to give the birdhouse a home in our garden. Happy to say, John, that the chickadees have settled in and I am joyfully reminded of you everyday.

This Life A Road

This life a road –the way preparedsigns to guide me,and still, I get lost. Construction, distraction,disobedience – throw me off –tendency to choose tougher routes,broken down and been sidelined And yet, the road still beckons,invites progression, thrills.A rolling stone gathers no moss,my father liked to say, and so… I push ahead, keep motoring,trust the obstacles […]