Mountain hiking trail

Invasive Species

Indulge me for a moment. Picture yourself in the mountains on a dirt hiking trail. There is blue sky above, a river flowing below, and a rainbow of wildflowers in every direction. The beauty and silence are intoxicating until an out-of-place sound pierces the moment. In a split second, your defenses are up as you…

Two Humpback whales lunge feeding

Worth A Million

They say, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” If this is true, then a memory must be worth a million. No photograph can capture a moment as thoroughly as a memory. Memories rely on all the senses to recall a previous experience. Sound, taste, touch, and smell are left out of photos, but these…

Having grit is living one strong, brave, determined day at a time.

Recipe for Grit

It takes grit to make it through life. Grit is more than an idea. It’s a practice that can be applied every day, especially the tough ones. Once you know the recipe for grit, there’s nothing you can’t handle. Grit has many ingredients, but there are four main components: God, Resilience, Integrity, & Toughness. The…

woman waiting

W.A.I.T.

Recently brought to my attention is the acronym W.A.I.T. It can mean, why am I talking? or what am I thinking? I thought it was brilliant. When put into those terms, the acronym supports the word by suggesting a pause before acting or reacting. A split second of pausing can make a huge difference. Comments…

Characters from the Wizard of Oz

Dorothy Said It Best

Traveling is great, and I’m blessed to do a good deal of it, but I always look forward to coming home. Dorothy said it best when she clicked her red ruby slippers together and repeated, “There’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.” She was right. The young girl from Kansas was in…

Fish seen snorkeling

Snorkeling Through Life

Snorkeling in the ocean fascinates me, not just the visual beauty of marine life, but the whole experience. In the underwater world there is a vibrancy that comes to life. There is so much to experience right below the surface without having to dive deep. Living with as much awe out of the ocean as…