"Life" Books
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Fuel for Curiosity
Happy Wednesday! Let’s jump right in! Do you ever try to think back on your time in school (or if you are in school now- recall today’s lessons)? Can you remember any facts or information that you felt like you were learning for fun, or was it all with the intent of memorizing to pass the next test, or “just get school done?” Now, let me make clear, I had some amazing teachers, and my attitude and my drive was partially my learning differences that couldn’t at the time be accommodated for at the school I attended. However, there are a few moments that I can remember that I felt…
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Home Away from Home
The above picture is of Windy Gap in 2005. Within my four years of high school I went to this camp for four campaigner’s weekends, three weekend camps, two weekends for work crew, and two weeks of camp work week (a plus to being homeschooled 😊). This was a home away from home for someone who did not love being away from home at all! The first time I went my brother was a leader, so I said sure I’ll go, knowing that he would be there if I needed some comfort of home. And I did, but I made it and I loved it! Whenever someone mentions Windy Gap…
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Cloudy with a Chance of Deep Breaths
I hate it when people accuse me of lolly-gagging, when I’m quite clearly dilly-dallying. Every so often I will search, “what is the most searched question today/this week/of the moment?” In the past the results have been usually tech, politics, health, etc related. Today, I was surprised to find that “how do I change a tire?” and “how do I tie a tie?” to be some of the top questions. It gave me pause and it gave me a hope for humanity all at once- still trying to figure out which I have more of – pause or hope, but at least I have both! First, it gave me pause.…
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You Just Gotta Laugh
“Trauma? Oh, you mean the reason I’m hilarious!” (the picture is a little blurry) I don’t know if you have the laughing gene, the one when something should be considered a serious moment or situation, but your brain signals otherwise. I do. Most of my family does. So when one of us starts, we all start shaking and looking for an escape route. If you have this disease you know how incredibly hard it is to stop once you start. And sometimes it’s nothing that has been said or done that sparks the laughter. Most of the time it something that triggers a memory – seeing or hearing something, or…
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Portals of Discovery
Excuse my absence last week. I am currently in a chapter of “what the world/is there a name for what’s going on” health journey, not too unfamiliar to me. But I have had to run a get labs and such, which has gotten my days all in a tangle. I am okay, nothing crazy, just a little wobbly and tired. One more thing before I move onto what I want to write today: my online store. My goals keep changing, because reality keeps changing. BUT since moving, I have a small craft area and it’s almost ready! Hopefully this Friday I can start actually putting everything together and eventually taking…
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My Story Isn’t Your Story, Your Story Isn’t Mine
“Before the IDEA, children like my son were stigmatized, stereotyped, and institutionalized.” Senator Maggie Hassan Oh what deep grief, abundance of lessons, and remarkable joys come with pain and struggle. What is life if we cannot allow our story to become part of the greater story of helping each other place one foot in front of the other? Senator Hassan has passion, conviction, and pain- if you have been in the special education ebbs and flows of the past 40-50 years, like my family has, you find yourself talking to the tv, shouting “Amen! Preach it!” I am not bringing this to your attention today for any political reasons. To…
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I’ve Been Here Before
My parents and I are currently going back and watching the West Wing TV show (1999-2006), many, many relevant lessons and applications for our world today, but more than that, I would like to share a quote from the series… “This guy is walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can’t get out. A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, ‘Hey you, can you help me out?’ The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts us, ‘Father, I’m down in this hole can you…
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You Gotta Keep Walkin’
The above quote came from a book I just finished reading. I don’t often suggest “big kid books” for a number of reasons, but this one I highly recommend. If you have been on this writing road with me for a while, then you know I have a love for true stories, history, and pretty much getting to know culture, heritage, and just about everything that goes along with it. One of my deep, deep longings for knowledge has been for more understanding of the black church. The gospel music has always captivated my heart and soul. The raw and honest spirituals have helped me through some really hard places.…
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Heart to See
“It is not enough to photograph the obviously picturesque.” Dorothea Lange Pictures. I can never take too many. Although I am overwhelmed by the magnitude of how many we have at the moment in our downsize/move, I am incredibly grateful to have many. The picture today I visit many days. The love between cousins, the comfort of loving arms, security… peace… so much in one picture. One of my ventures after high school was acquiring a career certificate in photography. Remember this was 2006. The program I decided to go with required that you use only 35mm camera, nothing digital, nothing automatic. I had been playing around with photography for…
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80 Hours
I didn’t forget about ya! Last week got wild and I just couldn’t get a post written and posted, I am sorry. A little snapshot of last week… I was in the midst of one of my not so kind summer migraine multi-day battles, overwhelmed and completely at my “it’s never going away” moments. There were repairs being done at our house, so my normal “comforts” were in a room I couldn’t get too. My Mom was literally the only comfort I had. I ended up sitting in the corner of her bathroom on the cold floor (cold calms my nerves) and just crying. Frustrated with my lack of progress…
