I’m back from my trip east to see family and finally feeling caught up. I worked hard in mom’s house and yard to get things back in shape. She hires people to help with house cleaning and mowing, but the details get neglected. I spent much of my time outdoors; picking up debris, trimming trees,…
I was incredibly moved by Marwa’s story of growing up in Camp Gaza. Her story is full of compassion, determination, and a clear sense of purpose. I admire who she is becoming and what she has already accomplished. I believe her story (and actions) will women and many others. She grew up in Camp Gaza…
The End of Self-Improvement This is my New Year’s gift to you; part love letter, part kick in the pants. Please take what serves you and discard the rest. These are my truths, not necessarily yours. You do not need to fix yourself. You are not broken. You are enough. You may not like everything…
Autumnal Reflections ~ trees glow with color a season of transition hope and love abound ~ ~ We are on the verge of great change in our country right now. Besides the obvious change in the US elections, many of my friends are undergoing transitions large and small. I’m following the trend, having found a…
Wealth and Reform I haven’t read the book Capital by Thomas Piketty, but most of us know about the growing power and wealth of the 1%. That term comes from his book that Paul Krugman sums up in the video below. The information in the video has greatly influenced my current views on our political…
Deciding Times What are we choosing? Are we choosing understanding and compassion? Or are we choosing righteousness? In these challenging and tumultuous times, our decisions, words, and actions are critically important. I am noticing a trend to be very righteous and fixed in our beliefs, statements, and choices. This is partly driven by the divisive…
Working for Peace Lasting peace begins within our hearts and minds. We must learn to calm the inner storms, embracing the challenges within and without, remembering that we are all connected. There is no benefit to fighting or casting out any feeling, person, or experience. They are simply aspects of ourselves whether realized or not.…
This week Awesome Stories brings you the gift of children. The Gift of Children Anyone who is a parent knows the joy of children and the miracle of life. Looking at babies and young children, we see the innocence and joy that is our birthright. Children represent our innocence, born in love and potential. We…
This week Awesome Stories brings you the power of creating connections. Making a Difference with Compassionate Teaching This teacher truly understands what is important. In this Daily Good article, Glennon Doyle Melton talks about discovering a teacher who has been quietly making a difference for her students ever since the mass shooting at Columbine. Rather…
I discovered a new style of poetry from Vashi’s blog called a Sidlak. It’s a structured poem consisting of 5 lines with 3–5–7–9 syllables for the first four lines and a color for the last line. The color describes the whole poem or feelings of the writer. Here is Vashit’s Sidlak called craving. Moody Blues ~ sliding down…
writing to freedom 