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CAREGIVING | HUMAN TRAFFICKING | FOOD | SPIRITUAL | BUILDING COMMUNITY
Topic ~ Caregiving
Cancer Caregiving Awareness. Every day is different. Every day is the same.
My cousin, Tom, passed away. I think of how he changed after the passing of his wife, never letting go of his anger over her death. It was an exceptionally tragic passing when our knowledge of cancer was in its infancy so many years ago. Her death inspired my...
In the Gardens of Memory, in the Palace of Dreams
"In the gardens of memory, in the palace of dreams, it is there we shall meet." (Alice in Wonderland) (Photo credit: Lillian Lake) On the afternoon of my mother's passing, I went by the lake alone to sit and gaze into the soft ripple moving against the shore. Since...
Grampa Stiles and His Stately Grandfather Clock
This year, I aim to be happy and know peace inside and out. For each of us, peace may mean something different. And for sure, we each get there on our terms. Maintaining a peaceful balance amid change, which we are all experiencing, is essential to our well-being. To...
Topic ~ Human Trafficking
There Are Times When You Must Speak
In the United States, January is Human Trafficking Awareness month. Sadly, this crime against humanity is why this day exists. But even more sadly, most people are unaware there is even such a thing as human trafficking, to say nothing about a month to acknowledge...
Red Market and Black Gold Market are Other Names for Organ Trafficking
Sex trafficking and labor trafficking are more widely researched and discussed, but another area of trafficking is organ trafficking. I first heard about "organ harvesting" in the early 2000s, but that was long before I heard about human trafficking. Honestly, it is...
Once You Know Something You Can’t Unknow It
Two of my favorite credos are "once you know something, you can't unknow it" and "just because you see can't see something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist." When I do presentations on human trafficking, I find that people hearing about it for the first time try...
Topic ~ Food
The Lesser Known Traditions of Mumming and Cristmas Crackers
A conversation with a shopper in T.J. Maxx inspired this post. The shopper was admiring a festive display of Christmas crackers. Not the kind of crackers you eat. These are the kind that holds a surprise inside and is made from a paper tube and decorative paper....
A Wellness Journey Begins
In the beginning. Eight years ago, following emergency surgery and an extended stay in the hospital, I couldn't eat any food without extreme bloating and pain, requiring a potent pain reliever. I spent months on bone broth and didn't have the energy to walk beyond my...
Summer Sunshine Lemon Cooler Cookies
My “go-to” therapy is playing my piano or baking when I have something challenging to work through. As hot as it was in Iowa when we were there on vacation a few weeks ago, I baked up a storm. Coincidentally, it did storm with all kinds of crazy thunder and lightning....
Topic ~ Spiritual
Thank you. Your Responses Have Been Recorded
Well! We are well into January 2024! Each week since Christmas has been cleverly marked by a snowstorm. Sometimes, several. At least, no doubt some entity, somewhere, thought it was clever. I wouldn't mind any of it if there were snow without rain. Considering the...
We are Awakening and Remembering and it Feels Weird
Ripples of ribbon adorn our still bright green and well-lit Christmas tree. We say we'll get a smaller tree, but every year we don't. To some, our tree is small. To others, it is monstrous. Light causes glass icicles to glisten as they drip from the tips of random...
Hanukkah: The Miracle of Trust and Faith Bringing Greater Light to the World
Author's note: Somehow, in the busyness of the season, publishing this got lost in the hustle and bustle. But I think no story that serves to illuminate the world has an expiration. I hope you enjoy these brief thoughts on trust and faith. By the time this is...
Believe in Magic and Miracles to Experience Magic and Miracles
Christmas is the season of magic and miracles. I believe everything is a miracle and that there are extraordinary miracles, such as the wicks of the Menorah, that miraculously burned for eight days, even though there was only enough for one day. And the extraordinary...
Topic ~ Building Community
Thank you. Your Responses Have Been Recorded
Well! We are well into January 2024! Each week since Christmas has been cleverly marked by a snowstorm. Sometimes, several. At least, no doubt some entity, somewhere, thought it was clever. I wouldn't mind any of it if there were snow without rain. Considering the...
We are Awakening and Remembering and it Feels Weird
Ripples of ribbon adorn our still bright green and well-lit Christmas tree. We say we'll get a smaller tree, but every year we don't. To some, our tree is small. To others, it is monstrous. Light causes glass icicles to glisten as they drip from the tips of random...
Hanukkah: The Miracle of Trust and Faith Bringing Greater Light to the World
Author's note: Somehow, in the busyness of the season, publishing this got lost in the hustle and bustle. But I think no story that serves to illuminate the world has an expiration. I hope you enjoy these brief thoughts on trust and faith. By the time this is...
Believe in Magic and Miracles to Experience Magic and Miracles
Christmas is the season of magic and miracles. I believe everything is a miracle and that there are extraordinary miracles, such as the wicks of the Menorah, that miraculously burned for eight days, even though there was only enough for one day. And the extraordinary...