“April showers bring May flowers,” and flowers attract pollinators. Pollinators, such as birds, bees, butterflies, beetles, and bats, are responsible for the pollination of over eighty percent of the world’s flowering plants. These are highly integral creatures that need protection. Humans need to be Pollinator Protectors, and Earth Day is the perfect time to start.…
Even with all of the national and Hallmark holidays, there is one that I believe is missing. No, it’s not Superbowl Monday, though I doubt my idea will heed as much interest. Wouldn’t Make-A-difference Day be fantastic? One day a year dedicated to performing as many acts of kindness as possible. The officialness of the…
April is autism awareness month. As such, I would like to bring to your attention an incredible person, Temple Grandin. She is the USA Today 2025 recipient of the Colorado Woman of the Year Award. She is also autistic. Autism and the award might seem an unlikely pairing, but they are not. For decades, Temple…
In seventh grade, Jenny Raisch thought her life was over. In all honesty, many of her friends did, too. You see, at the school fundraiser, her parents won the bid for a slumber party. They gave it to Jenny as a gift for her 13th birthday. The problem was, this was not just any slumber…
Spring Break is over, so it’s back to reality. My reality is that it’s time for a spring cleaning checklist. My spring cleaning is sure to clear plenty of space in my life. I want my arms free of clutter and my mind clear of chaos, giving me more freedom to enjoy the here and…
Life is full of stigmas. They are everywhere, and most of them are untrue. Short, cute, blonde does not equal cheerleader. Cheerleader does not equal unintelligent. Depression does not equal crazy. A behavioral health center is not an insane asylum. Stigmas are labels of judgment that have no merit. I have a friend who suffers…
Running down the dirt hiking trail, my (then) two-year-old daughter tripped and fell on her little face. Before I could even reach her, she popped up with blood streaming down her forehead, pumped her fist in the air, and shouted, “Yee-haw, all girl!” She has always been one tough and undeterred cookie. My wish for…
Ask any child, and they’ll happily reveal who their hero is. Not surprising are the superpowers possessed and capes worn by childhood heroes. To a child, a hero is someone almost other-worldly. The notion that someone worth looking up to can be a regular person is a foreign concept to children. When a sliver of…
At my daughter’s high school, the week before Valentine’s Day is dubbed Spread the Love Week. The activities of the week are designed to celebrate love, and not just on a single day. Sharing acts of love over a whole week instead of just a single day is an excellent idea. The focus of the…
I’m not an experienced horse rider, but I have had the opportunity to ride horseback. Riding a horse is as unpredictable as waking up each day. You never know what’s in store. On more than one occasion, I’ve found myself in precisely the opposite position of where a rider should be. As the saying goes,…