Growing with gratitude for life's challenges
I love my solitude. The silence of my alone time allows me to plunge into creativity. Some days I feel as if I might submerge and never reappear… I suspect I suffer from social anxiety, and when I am able to recognize it for what it is and step over the fear, I often discover […]
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I offer our Ukrainian guest the last pot of chocolate dessert that had been dropped off that morning by a fellow Ukrainian. “There are fresh raspberries, too!” I add, gifted from another. She pauses, and then shakes her head. “Maybe tomorrow. I had sweet today.” And then she bursts out crying. I reach for my […]
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Ric and I took a road trip to Strathroy, Ontario last Friday, to catch up with old friends. We met at Alla’s Pierogies & More, a cute little restaurant with three tables and of course, the exuberant host: Alla. Afterwards, we visited Mykola at his trendy bakery for tea and treats. Alla and Mykola’s families […]
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Ah Christmas…the barrage of lists, the constant bustle, my aching legs…. When we have a moment to rest, we celebrate that two Ukrainian families have now successfully flown our nest. We are exhausted but warmed by the knowledge that our family has grown. We’ll be twenty at Christmas – our two families of five, plus […]
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Lens-Artists challenge this week is a treasure hunt. I did not have to look for these treasures, nor were they searching for me. I just happened to be the happy mediator between the Stonetowne Quilters’ Guild and the appreciative recipients. Remarkable handiwork, lovingly made by local woman and offered in support of the Ukrainians choosing […]
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I met a woman once, so debilitated by disease that my impulse was to recoil. Then I remembered the words of one of my teachers: “There is something to love about everyone”, and I checked myself, and realized that this woman must have an incredibly strong will to live. I told her so, and noted […]
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“Hi Mrs Knutson,Hope you are well!I saw that you and your husbandare hosting a family of refugeesfrom Ukraine….“ The writer of this message attended a school where I once taught. He was not a student of mine, but I did coach the boys’ soccer team, with this young man’s help and direction (he was our […]
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“Sending out a collective prayer of sincere thanks to all who have supported my journey. Hope I can do the same for others, paying it forward.” These were the last words I posted on the blog that appeared last Monday. Within hours of hitting publish, two things occurred: An old friend contacted me on FaceBook […]
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Reading through old journals, so much focuses on lack of money. I express guilt for not providing enough as a single mother, anger for being abandoned by my children’s father, and shame for having to rely on others. The feelings still linger. And then I hear my father’s voice: “The good Lord always provides.” And […]
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Attire does not an occasion make (referring to the 5-year-old in pjs). Age doesn’t matter when in the presence of loved ones. Engagement is everything. Stories and memories never grow old. Love prefers to congregate in small spaces. Dogs share their affection equally. (Thanks to my husband for capturing these moments.)
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One Woman's Quest II 