My half brother from New York is visiting this week. He came to spend time with my parents, his father and step-mom, and the rest of our family. He’s 52 now. Moving in to hug him, I remembered the excitement of his arrivals throughout my childhood years, during summers and holidays; my super-cool, break-dancing, bleach Read More
Category: Sobriety
Fire, Water, Air
Last week, I spent my time taking in brilliant blue coastal views, inhaling woodsy fresh forest air, and climbing volcanic mountains to reach serene alpine meadows dotted with wildflowers. We set out in our faithful, functional RV not headed to Yellowstone as planned (due to flooding) but up the coast of Northern California, into the Read More
July’s Word of the Month: Celebrate
So engrossed in the Pause that was June, I let July arrive without a plan, post or purpose. Catching up now, July 4, which is my birthday and oh yeah, the birthday of our nation, I am sharing my word of the month, which is, Celebrate. My relationship with my birthday and the July 4th Read More
I Could Care Less, but I Don’t
Yesterday, I received an invitation to my good friend’s birthday party: a good thing! The only problem is that it’s going winetasting. My happiness turned to dread as I realized the venue and the agenda. To my friend’s credit, she wrote me a thoughtful text saying she understands if it’s not something I feel comfortable Read More
Weekend Book Review: West with Giraffes
Happy weekend! This week’s book review is a historical fiction gem that makes a perfect escape into adventure. Lynda Rutledge’s West with Giraffes is an emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America. I listened to the audio version, which really Read More
What Not to Say
I recently attended a gathering with extended family, many of whom I’d not spoken to in years. A lot of families find themselves lives and miles apart, once the matriarch and patriarch have passed away, and mine is no exception. When we do get together, conversations often feel arbitrary or surface; how do two people Read More
June’s Word of the Month: Pause
The typical school year is a long, steady race to the finish line; most teachers take some time in June to pause. I chose the word Pause, even though I am teaching summer school for most of the month, because this time of year contains some space, a pause to rest and reflect, nap and Read More
Conversations with God in the Night
Lately, I find myself having conversations with God in the middle of the night. Actually, it’s more early morning hours, but definitely during my 6-7 hour sleep window. I’m protective of my sleep now that I don’t drink. When you go from disrupted, tortured sleep being the norm, you want to proctect and preserve your Read More
May’s Word of the Month: Bloom
I like words that are both nouns and verbs. The trees and flowers are in full bloom. My life, since I quit drinking, is blooming. When I think of the word bloom, I picture delicate buds opening, patience rewarded, and beauty released. This month, I want to live in full bloom. I changed the tagline Read More
April Intentions Update: Action and Avoidance
April, rather than being “the cruelest month,” as T.S. Eliot proclaimed, was a pendulum of action and avoidance. In some areas of my life, I made great progress and growth. In others, I found myself the cork bobbing on the wave of a week, as described in my last post. Sometimes intentions guide the day, Read More