Growing up, one of my favorite pastimes was laughing with friends or family until I could not breathe. Nothing else in life seemed to bring as much enjoyment (except maybe the amorous attentions of young men). Changing hormones (which led to unprovoked giggles) and the freedom of responsibility gave us many hours to joke with each other, find the humor in our sheltered lives, and laugh until our sides ached. Even today, those same friends and I gather at the beach each summer hoping to descend into the same giggles which once gave us much pleasure and relief. They are a little harder to … [Read more...]

Standing in his apartment kitchen and making dinner, my friend said, “I want my future wife to have at least a master’s degree.” I bristled at his comment. Who does he think he is? Is a woman without a master’s degree worth less than a woman with one? I think not! In the moment, I held my tongue, but over the years – but, even after we started dating – his expectation of a certain level of education bothered me. I expected to pursue a master’s degree, but what if I changed my mind? I did not like the idea of my worth being determined by a flimsy piece of paper and a subjective level of … [Read more...]

Two weeks ago, I received word that someone dear to me had just experienced the unexpected death of a loved one. The shock reverberated through my body as I looked at my phone in complete disbelief. This must be a dream. This cannot be right. Thankfully, I was able to make my way to her home to be with her. During the drive, I wondered what I would see when I arrived. What would she need from me and would I be able to comfort her? All I knew was I had to be with her even though I had no words to ease her pain. I walked into her home and saw her lying on the couch. I sat beside her, she … [Read more...]

To be completely transparent, forgiveness is an issue with which I have struggled most of my life. Since I have relatively few complaints in the scheme of things, it amazes me how some people who have suffered great heartaches have an easier time letting go of offenses than I do. Maybe they have more practice? Or, maybe they came to a point when they realized they had two sets of choices – let go, forgive, and move on; or, stay embittered and be perpetually miserable. Regardless, I do feel somewhat ridiculous when I find anger rising in my heart towards someone who hurt me twenty years ago … [Read more...]