Dear Self-Sabotaging Me, I have known you for far too long. You met me as a child, one dark night, when fear took hold. You are tricky. You have used people and circumstances as an excuse for your behavior. You have lied, twisted, and demoralized what I know I am capable of. You came as a […]
Fearlessly Facing our History, Disabilities, or Our Child’s Ancestry in Adoption
My seven -year-old adopted daughter is partially deaf. I stand there, between clothes racks, witnessing hands moving between strangers. In conversation without words. I interrupt with my lips, not even thinking that they may have no voice and that I might make a complete fool of myself. One vocalizes clearly in response, and I am relieved. She […]
Letting Go the Battle to Control Our Husbands
He wakes. Sits straight up. “I think we are supposed to go to Dominican Republic”. “Hmmm?” I whisper, eyes not even open yet. “Why do you say that?” “I don’t know”, husband responds. “I just think we are supposed to go.” Little is said. Time drifts us into reality and we lay hold “the seen” more […]
Beauty Isn’t Found in Gluing Leaves to Barren Trees
Row of Japanese Maples lining our driveway , now sit barren. Yesterday, their strawberry hews, fire blazing reds, pumpkin and canary colors hailed entry into our home. Now they stand like empty arms, barren sticks reaching helplessly vertical to the sky. A wind blew in last night. Without warning. While fruit bowl colors clung on for […]
Shattered Hearts & a Coming Conference
Elizabeth Stone once said, “Making the decision to have a child – It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.” But what happens when that child is gone? What happens when children grow up, leave for college? What happens when time is cut short and your heart is […]
Why Fear Can’t Stop You
I wake as if from a different world. Dreams of tests and running in a competition I am struggling in. Caring about tripping, worried about falling. Looking around me, fearing, what will others think of me? I crawl to my secret place, pajamas still on, coffee in hand. Batting at the sky, asking the God of […]