Permission

February 5, 2025.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Wading through the muck of internalized blame, I stumble across a fault line, where the light breaks through. Old patterns are breaking up. My worth is not tied to how others feel, I realize. I am not the Queen of Everything. For the umpteenth time, I tell myself: I am enough. Permission granted to follow […]

Pippi

January 29, 2025.Reading time 3 minutes.

Pippi was so nervous the day she arrived at our home in her little dog crate. Her brother had no problem sniffing out his new domain and blessing us with a tail wag, but Pippi made a beeline for our then 8-year-old granddaughter and stayed put. All eleven pounds of her shook with fear. For […]

Chasing bridges

January 22, 2025.Reading time less than 1 minute.

I am feeling torn apart. Afraid to breathe lest I should crumble. Definitely on edge. I know life is like this – the past circles around and confronts us when we least expect it. Things come in threes, they say – whoever ‘they’ are. First, a child missing, which triggered memories of my own abduction […]

Perspectives on a Child Found

January 15, 2025.Reading time 2 minutes.

First of all, deep gratitude to the police for their work finding our missing teen. One week after she disappeared, she is home again. Initially, the feeling was immense relief. The emotions we’d been holding in, along with our breaths, gushed out in sobs. But a tragedy like this does not unravel itself in a […]

Missing Child – Please Help

January 13, 2025.Reading time 1 minute.

The unthinkable has happened to my daughter’s partner: her 16-year-old daughter has gone missing. Emma Lang has not been seen for five days. Last known location was her home in London, Ontario, Canada. She did not take her cellphone or any money with her. From the London Police file (www.londonpolice.ca):“Emma is described as female, White, […]

Maggie Mason

January 8, 2025.Reading time 1 minute.

My father used to say that my biggest problem in life was my Maggie Mason, his play on the word ‘imagination’. Anne of Green Gables was definitely my role model for an overactive imagination. I loved the way her mind worked and the antics that followed. Lately, I’ve been wondering if an overactive imagination isn’t […]

To Shift or Not to Shift

January 1, 2025.Reading time 1 minute.

During our last visit, the doctor prescribed a new medication to manage migraines. We discussed not starting it until I was cleared of other issues that I was facing at the time. Turned out, I was able to start the medication on Christmas day. Fast forward a few days and I notice no signs of […]

Happy Holidays

December 25, 2024.Reading time less than 1 minute.

The photos are from day three of our Christmas celebrations. Today, we gather with two other families for more good cheer. Here’s wishing you a joy-filled day.

Build It and They will Come

December 18, 2024.Reading time 1 minute.

Our third Ukrainian/Canadian Christmas will take place this Sunday. Two hundred and forty guests have signed up. It’s just amazing how much our community has grown, not just in numbers, but as a whole. My role as an ambassador – helping Ukrainians get started in Canada – has morphed into a support role. Our latest […]

Is It Too Late?

December 11, 2024.Reading time less than 1 minute.

I understand it’s not accessible to all. The message is: “When I was 9, I prayed to God that my life would not be too ‘normal’ or boring. Now that i’m 66, I wonder if it’s too late to take that back.”