The last 3 months have brought many challenges and changes for me, my family, our community and our country. With these changes I will be making more conscious choices with media consumption and engagement. My goal is to remain connected and engaged socially and otherwise and maintain balance and wellness for myself and my family. … More Social Media, Changes and Choices
Idleness As Tool Not Trouble Idleness is the state of inactivity, but it does not carry a negative connotation with it definition. That negative connotation is imposed by a moralistic, narrow interpretation of this state of being. The negative associations of being idle are also part of a society that commodifies our being and time, … More Doing Nothing Can Be Everything
A garden has several phases, it doesn’t stop being a garden, or loose it’s purpose, when it enters another phase. Gardens cycle through being planned, prepared, placed, protected, harvested and preserved. I think parenting and making a home is similar. My son graduated college, secured a good job, and recently got his first apartment. My … More No Empty Nest-Harvest Garden
I have been getting a great education this summer on language and relationships from my older children (23yo and 18yo). As their parent, when they were younger, it was important to find those moments when something went well or wrong and turn it into a positive learning experience. The idea of a teachable moment is … More The teachable moment- what’s next?
In an increasingly polarized society, the maxim of agreeing to disagree has become almost impossible for me at times. Issues that matter a great deal to me, and those I know and love near and far, can become the topic of very uncomfortable conversations with close neighbors and even people in my own family. If … More What You Don’t Want to Hear
People who are proud aren’t scared, confused or unhappy. And that terrifies narrow minded, lost people trapped in their own unhappiness. Over the course of my life my naturally happy nature often drew confusing responses from people. They resented it or me, they didn’t understand it or me, they tried to tear it or me … More Celebrate Pride-Happiness and Freedom
Been a few months since I posted on this blog and on my other website. I have been on some social media, but that slowed down as well. It feels good actually, and I think I will make a habit of it, just maybe not 2 months at a time. Not surprisingly there’s research to … More Living Life Online and Offline
I’m not sure why I and so many other people struggle with forgiveness. I think it is in part because the concept is misconstrued, misplaced, and oversimplified. The most common misconstruction or misinterpretation of forgiveness is that it is something the wronged gives to or does for the wrong doer. That gets to the crux … More Forgiveness- Why?Who?When?
Mourning is often about more than just death. You may experience a lingering feeling of sadness, even with the ‘successful’ completion of something. Or some pain that comes along with the anticipated and joyful changes in life. I think it’s bigger than the simple contraction bitter-sweet. We are often compelled in a fast paced world … More Mourning in Life – Not Death
I have always known that teaching is hard, that as a society American’s undervalue their teachers. We know that teachers change lives, our lives, our children’s lives, our families lives for generations. A US government report recently confirmed that by failing to train and retain teachers “the teacher shortage is real, large and growing” (1). … More Thank a Teacher Every Day of the Year
LIFE, FAMILY and FUN 