A monster under the bed

Monsters Under the Bed

Do you remember laying in bed, frozen with fear as your imagination conjured up monsters under the bed? It didn’t matter that you couldn’t actually see the monster. The creature was as real as your hand, and threatened to grab hold of you at any moment. Falling asleep became practically impossible. Setting foot on the…

Hazards Exist ski sign

Hazards Exist

“Hazards Exist” signs warn of obstacles on ski runs, but life is no different with its unforeseeable challenges. The “Hazards Exist” signs make me laugh to be honest. As though posting a sign at the top of a mountain will prevent skiers from attempting to ski down the mountain. Of course they’re hidden obstacles! Challenges…

Lit candles on a birthday cake

Only Two Options

There are only two options to a couple things in life. Size and age are topics that fall into this logic. Over time our body shapes change, but there remain only two options, our clothes fit or they don’t. Same thing goes for age you’re either dead or alive. When making the most of life…

27 year A.A. chip

Choosing Change

The choice to change ourselves isn’t an easy decision, and the action required of oneself is even more daunting. Choosing change requires us to love ourselves, and be brave when facing our fears. We must be willing to let go of the familiar and venture into the unfamiliar. Twenty-seven years ago, my mother did just…

Silver sculpture of ears

I’m Not Theo

I’ve been volunteering in my friend’s first grade classroom. At times the group of six and seven year old’s can get a little too rambunctious. On one such occasion I interjected, “T.O., T.O.” and made a “T” with my hands. Not wanting to continue until all of the kids were quiet I repeated myself. In…

A variety of fall leaves

Value in the Variety

This fall in Colorado has been unlike any I can remember despite being a native of the state. The variety of vibrant colors of the leaves and the length of time they hung around has been breath taking. Autumn this year has been more like those on the East coast. Colorado finally lived up to…

Fort Collins High School Lambkin Mascott

Knows How to Own It

My seventeen-year-old daughter knows how to own it. She used to be the mascot for her middle school, but set it aside during high school, until recently. Leave it to her senior year to put on the high school mascot costume. Most people think being a mascot would be embarrassing enough on its own. Take…

street sign pointing in the direction of the good, bad, and ugly

Bad Things Happen to Good People

It’s my belief that the majority of people are good. Why then do bad things happen to good people? The truth is, life happens to all people. Good things and bad things occur in the lives of good and bad people. Life doesn’t decipher people or situations into categories. There is no separating the deserving…