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…
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…
Why is saying “no” so difficult? I’m as guilty as anyone for not using this word enough. Thinking I can fit in one more appointment, errand, or task I say yes, instead of no. There’s always more I want to do or think I should fit into my day. There’s an art to saying “no,”…
In my opinion there’s not a more important skill than communication. Communication is key to identifying and expressing our personal needs and wants. To be able to speak truthfully and honestly is more than necessary, it is vital. Applying this vital skill with a firm but gentle delivery is an art. One must keep in…
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…
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…
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…
There’s no doubt that fresh squeezed orange juice is better than any store bought kind. Sure there’s something to be said about the convenience of what comes off the shelf, but the taste isn’t nearly as good. Fresh squeezed orange juice is sweeter tasting and sweeter smelling. The texture is thicker, the color brighter. Juicing…
The other day my four-year-old neighbor approached me with an outstretched hand. On her palm lay a large, listless grasshopper. Lucy said, “Look what I have. It’s a grasshopper. I pulled it off another grasshopper. They were stuck together!” To which her mom replied with raised eyebrows, “Now you have a grumpy grasshopper.” Little did…
Recently, I was asked what I think it means to have grace. My answer was that grace and kindness are much the same. Both are gifts and there is no better gift than being kind. Having grace is a means to obtaining peace. The more I thought about it, the more it occurred to me…