Last week, I interviewed an amazing woman–Greta Holt. A deeply devoted Mennonite, Greta’s religious beliefs inform her social activism. I became interested in learning more about Greta when I met her in a MasterMind group we both were a part of. I am grateful that our introduction at the MM also introduced me to her…

Childhood bullying can have lasting effects on our self-esteem and relationships. Bullying, however, does not always end when we graduate middle or high school. Unfortunately, bullying can persist well beyond our childhood years, well into adulthood. I find we’re of two minds as a society when it comes to bullying. On the one hand, the…

It seems to me that the world is being taken over by bullies. Just spend five minutes on twitter, and you’ll find examples of strangers trying desperately to squash other strangers with hateful language just because they have a difference of opinion.   Bully Mentality Is Toxic   Det samme gælder for dem, der bruger…

I struggle with gratitude. Here’s the thing. I am thankful. For so much in my life. For the wonderful people, opportunities, relationships that have brought me joy. And for the challenges—oh those challenges—that have propelled my growth.   And I know that when I consciously appreciate all that I’m grateful for, when I speak it,…

Have you ever had the feeling that the Universe was trying to tell you something?  Events in your life—big or small—occurred that you just couldn’t get out of your mind?   They were close together in time and felt confusing or hurtful. In some way, those events felt oddly similar, but you struggled to discern…

If posed with the question, “Which do you strive to be—brave or perfect,” I would guess that most people would answer “brave.” Perfection is not something to strive for. Achieving perfection is, after all, impossible … right?   Right. Perfection is an impossible state. But that doesn’t mean we don’t strive to reach that state—even…

A few weeks ago, a wonderful online literary journal accepted an essay I submitted. I was thrilled! But when I received a link to the soft launch of the issue, my heart dropped. A section of what I wrote had been changed. Now, this is not unusual. Editors makes changes to author’s work all the…

FINDING HER WAY HOME: UPLAKE BY ANA MARIA SPAGNA* *First published in Entropy Magazine August 5, 2019   Hi Everyone! I can’t think of a better way to ring in the last summer holiday than by spending some time in the magnificent Northern Cascades with Ana Maria Spagna. Ana Maria is a beautiful writer whose…

Anger. Hate. Guns. A lethal combination, as we all know, as we are all still reeling from last weekend’s massacres. Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4th marked the 250th and 251st mass shooting this year—more mass shootings than the number of days so far in 2019! .   How Do We Measure Those Wounds?…

Just last week, I happened upon an article in the July 20 edition of the DailyMail.com: “Sacré Bleu! Model Lauren Hutton, 75, FALLS OVER While Walking the Runway at Valentino’s Haute Couture Show in Paris after Tripping in Four-Inch Heels.” I am not particularly fashion conscious. I certainly don’t follow the Haute Couture runways. Nor…