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…
My husband has a sixth sense for when I’ve dropped into Revision Hell. Maybe it’s my snippy tone or my random “this is crap” outbursts or just my sullen and vacant look across the room. Nonetheless, he knows when I’m struggling. This past spring, after such an outburst or two, he suggested—no, he demanded—that we…
The pursuit of writing requires having the words to explain unexplainable emotions and circumstances. There are times when the circumstance is so heavy that words fail me. Remembrance around 9/11 is one of those occasions. Finding words to remember a friend is another. Still, so many words come to mind from this picture. This is…
I have a thing about great vistas. I love them. There is something about seeing clearly from all sides in many directions and for miles. I suppose this love of a wide view comes from hiking. That feeling of reaching the top and being rewarded with a spectacular view is the motivation that keeps a…
Hikes are usually inspiring for all the expected reasons: the stretch of muscle, the expansion of breath, the delight at the end when the pinnacle is reached and all the hard work is rewarded with nature’s beauty. But sometimes the prize is unbridled and well-earned fear. And a little perspective of the world upside down….
Life brings a variety of blessings. But of the more precious ones is encountering That Teacher. You know the one. That teacher who inspires, encourages, sees something in you that you never knew existed. You believe you are the smartest or most talented or most charming kid in the class when that teacher pours their…
