One of my favorite things to do is beachcombing. I find it very relaxing and mind clearing. It amazes me to discover the overlooked and often passed over shells and stones. With a little focus, my eye soon uncovers hidden mystery and beauty amongst the sandy shore. As I run my hands over and through … Continue reading The Beauty Discovered
Christmas and New Years have long felt like a balance between endings and beginnings. The places where things are brought down to their very simplist of forms. Firsts and lasts. This year it felt especially stretched between the two extremes. In October we lost a family member in a most unexpected way. In her sleep. … Continue reading ‘Tis a Gift to Be Simple
Birthdays can be bittersweet.They mark the passage of time.Years since birth. They also mark years spent... Once the calendar passes, gone. This year was one I wasn't sure I’d see. Almost like the melancholy of an extinguished candle. It appears I may actually hit that milestone birthday next year! This year carried a lot of … Continue reading Birthdays
After chemo and a metastatic cancer diagnosis, I found it tough to get through many books or movies or even tv series. My favorite genre has been nonfiction as I love to hear other people’s stories. They inspired me. They introduced me to another’s perspective and experience. I could more easily empathize with them after … Continue reading Finding a Friendly Voice in the Wildnerness Areas
There are times in our lives when our stories collide with those of others. I am writing this post to share one of the life-breathing stories I had the privilege of hearing over the past summer. If I could, I would invite you into a friend’s church in North Minneapolis. I would introduce you to … Continue reading Beacon of Hope
(if this makes you roll your eyes, that's ok) I’m on vacation with my “foster fail” and observing her taking on this new adventure. I know she will love it once she figures out what we are doing, but initially every little step and experience is causing her a little anxiety. It’s fun to help … Continue reading Lessons Learned from My Dog
Some seasons (weather and life) are more challenging than others. The waiting. The struggle. The cold. The dark. Sometimes it is the cold and sometimes it is the dark. Sometimes it is waiting through the challenging and wondering if you will see the other side. But like the seasons, nothing lasts forever. Sometimes the change … Continue reading A Time for Everything
Definition of CONFLUENCE 1 :a coming or flowing together, meeting, or gathering at one point • a happy confluence of weather and scenery • a confluence of cultures 2 a :the flowing together of two or more streams b :the place of meeting of two streams • the Mississippi River's confluence with the Missouri River … Continue reading Confluence
Summer. The season that doesn’t last nearly as long as I would like it to. The season I wait for all winter. And it goes by way too quickly. As I look towards fall I get a little angsty. The grieving of the season not even done yet. Why can’t I just settle and be … Continue reading Being Patient and Present
My friend, Barb, has one of the most generous hearts of anyone I know. She inspires others to love completely and with abandon. I love her story even though it rips my heart in two. She has similar strengths to mine and yet lives hers out in a way I could only dream of. She … Continue reading Barely Surviving, Trying to Thrive
Strength in Our Stories 