Growing with gratitude for life's challenges
I didn’t dare to even whisper it. I shifted the computer screen to Ric’s line of vision, and left it there, open for him to comment. Or not. You see, we’d applied to adopt two dogs – Havanese crosses, ages two and ten months – and been turned down by the rescue agency, as I […]
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I’m right behind you! The voice is whisper-scratchy, low and menacing. I can see you! I whisper back, giving my voice a threatening tone. The teacher strikes continue here and I am filling in for working parents. Granddaughter #1 and I are playing a game in which we think of normal sentences that are scary […]
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The sound of oversized boots dragging across wooden floors announced that it was 2:40 p.m. Shuffles, as we called her, would arrive each day, walk to the back of the store where the cash desk was situated, touch three things, and then turn around and slump on to her next stop. She had a mop […]
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“This is a lot of stuff to remember, Grandma!” Seven-year-old Sloane and I are making a Zentangle. She’d tried to copy my work on her own with no success, so I’m teaching her step by step. “That’s why we keep practicing.” “Practice makes permanent!” “Do you mean perfect?” “No permanent. That’s what my teacher says.” […]
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“Be careful of the habits you make,” my father used to lecture, cigarette in one hand, whiskey in the other. “They will either make of you a slave or a master.” Of course, I had no idea what he was talking about, and I hated that his sermons were always: “Do what I say, not […]
Read MoreI 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: […]
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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. […]
Read MoreRumination 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 […]
Read MoreThis 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 […]
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“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 […]
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