I visited New York City in September 2018 for many reasons: to enjoy a play, to attend a fundraiser, to meet up with a lifelong friend, and to refresh, reinspire, and renew my writing spirit. I snatched this writing hiatus with great enthusiasm. I strolled (or hiked with less intensity) into Central Park, vowing to…
In 2003, I traveled to South Africa with my uncle and a group from his church to volunteer at a small children’s mission called the “Door of Hope.” The mission was a safe haven for infants who might otherwise be abandoned. The country was in the grips of the HIV crisis and the social support…
This is it. The Monroeville Courthouse, the place that inspired Harper Lee’s novel To Kill A Mockingbird and the place where her own father, inspiration for the fictional character Atticus Finch, is said to have held court. Attitcus helped us understand the color of justice and holds a seminal place in our American literature as…
When is it okay to have dessert first? Outside of Portland, Oregon, the Multnomah Falls are legendary. Nestled into the Columbia River Gorge, this double-decker cascade of water drops a heart-stopping six hundred and twenty feet. The falls are a breathtaking treat that I only need step from the car to take in. Dessert first,…
One of my mom’s favorite sayings was “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.” My family’s history is littered with beautiful souls whose lives were robbed of breaths but rendered bountiful in breathless moments. This hug is one of those moments. This…
On a recent visit to Thomas Jefferson’s second home, Poplar Forest, I was prepared to learn something interesting about Jefferson. I was expecting to feel at home here in this cozy get-away, so comfortable that I could envision hanging out with TJ here. I was not disappointed. Despite being a public figure, Jefferson was quite…
