Lessons From Ballroom Dancing

Early on in our relationship, Ric and I signed up for ballroom dancing classes. It was a small class for beginners, so we thought it might be a good fit; both of us loved to dance. “I’m not very good at letting someone else take the lead,”  I confessed on the first night. “In dancing, […]

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Cars and Faith

Assuming my faculties have regained some semblance of functioning, I will drive again.  I don’t anticipate the first run will be without incidence – traffic is known to snarl, and accidents are a regular occurrence – but I have faith in my ability to respond appropriately. I’m reminded of my first car and that one […]

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Wide Turns Ahead

When illness struck our household it knocked over our bucket list, spilling much of the content into the drain.  We were like bystanders at a train wreck: watching our lives spiral out of control, desperately trying to sift through the rubble to find signs of survival. Depression, anger, and grief were just some of the […]

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Two Requests

Exactly…. Mitch Teemley View original post

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Tough Stuff

Minutes after my first husband and I were settling into our honeymoon suite, I got a call from my father advising me that my oldest sister had gone from the wedding reception to emergency. “I think you better come,” he told me solemnly.  So we packed up and headed back. I had known that my […]

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“When Breath Becomes air” Review

Just as Paul Kalanithi’s future looked bright, cancer struck.  As a doctor (neurosurgeon) he knew all too well what he was about to face, and guided by his oncologist, had to make difficult life choices.  Kalanithi bravely decided to commit his journey to paper, offering an inside glimpse of illness from the eyes of a […]

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Dear Younger Self, On Our Birthday

Saw a picture of you today – us, just approaching sixteen – and instantly recognized the awkwardness with which you carry yourself: the painful self-consciousness, never knowing quite where you fit in or even if you are good enough to be in the picture.  Since today is our birthday, I decided to dedicate this post […]

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First Encounter with ME/CFS

Hesitantly, I turn the key in the lock and push the door ajar.  A waft of warm, stale air accosts me. “Hello?”  I’d been told there might not be a response. Something is resting against the door, so I push harder to let myself in.  The beam from the light of the open doorway is […]

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Give Your Dream a Title

Keeping a dream journal is more than just a diary for me, it is a way to connect with my inner self, make sense of the my sometimes garbled thought processes, and focus on what is important in the here and now.  It is also the inspiration for much of the poetry I write.  Having […]

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Tale of Kidnapping Inspirational

Amanda Lindhout, along with Sara Corbett, has written a riveting tale of her kidnapping and captivity during a trip to Somalia. I first became interested in Lindhout’s story when I caught a glimpse of an interview on a television program.  How, I wondered, does someone survive such a horrendous experience? A House in the Sky, […]

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