V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #79 – subtraction

January 13, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

I adopted my father’s rage at a young age, and learned to wrestle with the best of them, typically boys, ’cause Father said never hit a girl. Most days, I’d return from school with debris in matted hair and torn stockings. Mother would shake her head, muttering: “No one will ever love you.” I heard: […]

Decisive Action

January 12, 2020.Reading time 3 minutes.

Life presents challenges and I stumble to keep up. Chronic illness continues to form the backdrop of my life, so it becomes the baseline for any actions I take. Ric and I made a commitment to our health and our community this year, and that means that I have been more physically active than usual. […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #78: action

January 6, 2020.Reading time 2 minutes.

Rumination is one of my fortes. I get something stuck in my head and it will spin there nonstop if I let it, even disrupting sleep. It happened recently with one of our daughters. I took something she did personally, and blew it out of proportion, convincing myself that there was no hope for our […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #76: music

December 9, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

This week’s challenge was inspired by a new follower of mine on Twitter. His name is John Tiller, and he hails from Manchester, UK. After listening to his pinned track: “Battle Ready”, I promised to share his work, so here it is: https://johntiller.bandcamp.com/track/battle-ready John’s Twitter account is @itsjohntiller. Music is the focus this week. Share […]

Attempted Moderation

December 1, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

“Bah, Humbug!” Ric snarls at me as I shake my head when he reaches for a box of candy canes to throw in our cart. We are both on diets, and the Moms have clearly stated to keep the sugary treats to a minimum. “We don’t need them!” I do sound like Scrooge, and it’s […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #73: whole

November 18, 2019.Reading time 3 minutes.

Joseph was eighteen when I first met him, a hulk of man with dark eyes that always glanced away, and a permanent hunch, like a cowering animal. He didn’t communicate verbally, but with patience and a steadying touch, could type out his thoughts, if the mood struck him. Some days he would pace and flutter […]

A Collective of Wishes

November 17, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

A circle of securityuniversalheart ease running on emptymy wishmore timeto admire the tracka bluebird dayescaping depth of a wishreminiscence if wishes came trueto be made whole. As I do from time to time, I have combined titles and phrases from this week’s entries to form a collective thought. See what a talented group we are! […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #72: wish

November 11, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

What’s in a wish? Do you dare to dream, to wish? This week, I challenge you to set your imagination free, unlock your heart, and wish. Look forward to your responses!

Still Waiting

November 10, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

“The doctor suggests you wait it out as long as you can, before stopping the medication,” the receptionist says when I call about the itchy rash all over my face. I know that the culprit has been making a difference, and yet the discomfort of an allergic reaction is not fun. The uncertainty about my […]

V.J.’s Weekly Challenge #71: wait

November 4, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

I’m sitting in the passenger seat of our parked car, waiting while Ric runs in to pick up a few groceries. This is our normal routine. He shops; I wait. Confession: I am not good at waiting. I have this compulsive need to fill each minute of the day with productivity. So I thumb through […]

Resilience

Boxes are filling up around us. We’re making a dent in our to-do lists. Doubt seeps in. Are we doing the right thing? Then I remember all the reasons behind making this choice and affirm: We are dismantling one life to build another, purposeful existence.

Monday Mood: squirrely

The movers need to be arranged, and the closets sorted and packed, and when was the last time we bought groceries…. Head and attention are going in too many directions at once, and I’m exhausted before I get started. Might be a little cranky too. The stress of moving is real.