My dad was recently cleaning up his computer files and found my admissions essay to Harvard College. I haven’t so much as looked at the essay since 2008, when I applied. Attending Harvard was a tightly held dream of mine since 8th grade. My senior year of high school I did apply and was interviewed,…
Read More
Colder weather calls for chili. And chili calls for ingredients like garlic and cumin and meat. And ingredients call for cooks who can whip them together. And that’s where I run into trouble. Recently, I was asked to bring a pot of chili to a church get-together. Not a difficult request or an especially stressful…
Read MoreOne of the most treasured seasons in my life was the semester I studied abroad in Scotland. Why? Among other reasons, I think it was the first time I’d ever felt completely free and uninhibited. It certainly was the first time I’d ever seen a long-held dream realized. I was given the gift of exploration.…
Read MoreThere’s a distinct difference between a dream and a plan, isn’t there? Plans happen. Dreams occupy the atmosphere. What plans have you seen realized? What dreams are you still clutching? Recently I’ve been thinking about which of my life long dreams have actually become plans, and which ones have yet to materialize. A few of…
Read MoreThe Leaf Mower Stop mowing, mower! At least blow the leaves, so they retain a bit of their wispy magic. Your machine churns and crunches, chopping up nature’s elegance – brush strokes of the Earth. Red and gold, purple and orange – spun about like little pieces of confetti, in no particular order. Why mow,…
Read More
I’ve written about my grandma before. She’s a pretty feisty lady. She’s also a very brave lady. It’ll be two years next month since my grandpa died. He had lung cancer. Since that time, my grandma has lived in their dream house – alone. The house they saved and planned for. The house where they…
Read MoreIf you hadn’t gathered, I’m pregnant! My husband and I have been so delighted to watch my ever-expanding belly come alive with baby kicks and flips. He has as much a pregnancy glow as I. Even so, a few things have still managed to fire me up. (You knew it was coming. It’s why you clicked…
Read MoreFall is, without a doubt, my favorite time of year. The boots, the scarves, the crunch in the air, and – of course – the pumpkin spiced ere’thang! So, naturally, I’ll give a nod to autumn on the old blog. Indulge me! “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” ―…
Read MoreDear little girl, It’s hard to write this letter to you. So very hard. It’s hard to admit that I already have to apologize to you before we’ve been introduced, but I must. I have to apologize to you because I’ve been ashamed of your existence. Today, I ran into an old mentor from my…
Read MoreI want to thank you all so much for following me over the past 31 Days! It truly has been a joy to write for you and with you. I’ve learned so much about myself, my creative capacity, and about Internet community. The most popular prompts from this series were: “My jaw dropped to the floor,…
Read More