I made a huge purchase decision this weekend. In the dark. I couldn't see the car I committed to drive for the next three years. Assuming I knew what I would receive, I signed the contract and drove home. When the light dawned on my mistake the next day, I felt…
Orchid blooms bowed toward me as I circled the aisle. I selected a tall beauty with gorgeous, snowy blooms. The horticulturalist grinned as she helped me take the plant down from its perch. "This is a good one. See, the flowers haven't all opened yet." As we began the transaction,…
A week ago, ashes marked the foreheads of countless believers worldwide. Even those of us who didn't participate in the traditions of Ash Wednesday have rolled our clocks forward to spring into a new season. Lente, the Middle English word for springtime, birthed the name of our current phase in…
This week celebrates the remarkable life and impact of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Decades ago, the visionary reverend shared his hope and values with a tragically fractured culture. He stood out among civil rights leaders as an icon of peace who unified the diverse crowds who supported him. Reverend…
Her leaves drooped, threatening to crash against the plant stand. Just the day before, her stalks had held themselves together. But the weeks of my neglect took their toll and my favorite houseplant could no longer hold her beautiful head high. I carried her from the room with remorse over…
Have you checked your courage level lately? Anxiety-mongering news stories swirl like impending hurricanes on our horizons. Expectations for women thunder overhead. In these worrisome times, we gals often feel more inclined to cower under our quilts rather than stand on our purposes. For those low on morale, an invitation…
Despite growing access to supportive resources, humankind seems more discouraged than ever. We connect via screens to thousands and still feel isolated. Innovations provide new ways to ease our lifestyles each year, but the harried pace only intensifies. In the disconnected, busy chaos of our existence, meaning and hope wither. Though…
Chocolates bulge from store shelves this month. Sale ads urge us to procure these sweet pounds to show our love ... or adopt as our own. After all, who would leave a lonely velvet heart to languish in the clearance bin next week? The pressure to sprinkle sugar, flower petals,…
Today's video points out the key factors in developing a network of personal support for an empowered, optimized lifestyle. Why do we need a supportive network? Support in times of crisis - not a question of IF, but WHEN we need others to help us through hardship Fulfillment cannot occur in…
Afternoon rays cast golden hues over the marble sill. Joyce wrung lemon-scented suds from her dishrag and gazed through the window. Tweeting mounted around their backyard’s birch. A robin swooped into the tree, nudging a scraggy-feathered youngling. The front door banged shut. Joyce turned from the window. “Alyssa?” “Hey, Mom.” She…