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…
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…
How many times have you said or heard, “Things aren’t like they used to be” or “My how times have changed?” These are common sentiments that aren’t untrue. Life has and will continue to change, but certain principles would serve society well if we maintained them. Young George Washington had the right idea when he…
Once upon a time, there was a woman who took great care in keeping her yard tidy. Day in and day out, she could be seen sweeping or raking. One morning, a neighbor stopped to converse with her. He couldn’t help but notice how committed she was to taking care of her property and inquired…
Welcome back to the Pink Elephants Blog! This year’s content is sure to keep providing and challenging you with different lenses through which to view life. Changing perspectives of how we think about things is like going to the eye doctor. I’ll hold up the lenses, but you identify what feels good to you. Prescriptions…
December is upon us already, and there will be no shortage of reasons to celebrate. At the end of the month, three holidays align this year: Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza. We all have our reasons for celebrating. The three holidays acknowledge different points in history that represent hope and the idea of overcoming the impossible.…
This week, I’m going to share the words of others in a short Pink Elephants playlist: Pink Elephants Playlist Everyone can benefit from the words of some very talented musicians. Please know that the songs selected do not reflect the political views or opinions of the musicians themselves. I have no idea how they cast their…
Life doesn’t always make sense, especially as it’s unfolding. We might never know “why” things happen, but if we can find acceptance, we can make sense of life’s hard knocks. There are silver linings if we are willing to look up. Last fall kicked off a series of events that left my family reeling. Challenges…