A pleasant distraction fromthe drudgery part of my day job I fill this feeder with homemade nectar numerous times throughout the summer season. The birds, some with shiny green backs, some with brilliant red throats, and some a dusty gray, frequent the station outside of my office window. I never tire of the distraction from the tedious bookwork that is … Read More
Don’t Be Afraid, I Want to Say; You Have Neighbors in Grief and Allies in Healing
Moonlit oceanon the eve of a storm “Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Don’t be afraid.” I recently stumbled across this Frederick Buechner quote. So poetic. So poignant. So precise in the way it captures life’s essence. In the last three days, I’ve encountered numerous stories with both those elements. Here is the … Read More
Finding a Little Luck in Life
A few weeks ago I was cleaning my dog’s poop from my backyard and discovered this four-leaf clover. And then another… Mixed with life’s crap, there’s always some stroke of good fortune, if your eyes are open to its existence within your path…And, oh, what a lucky girl I am that the talented, energetic, and charismatic Chiara from over at The Indie … Read More
Thankfully, Life Isn’t Static
Across the road from where I sit, the street light flickers on and off, as it has been since our arrival three days ago. “Dumbledore’s there,” I joked, “watching over us.” I am at the beach. On vacation. With family and some close friends. On Thursday, my friend and I treated ourselves to manicures and pedicures before beginning the process … Read More
A Bittersweet Birthday
Last month I received a Save the Date notice from a friend whose son was born exactly one week before Gavin. I couldn’t help but smile at how rugged and manly this young man has become. How handsome he was standing next to his glowing bride-to-be. And then, a fleeting sadness passed over me. Ha… Each thought of Gavin’s birthday—today—has … Read More
The High Road
I knew some people would be unhappy when I resigned as co-chair from our school’s Project Graduation committee. After all, I was the lead person keeping it all together, and my leaving would mean more work for remaining members. I knew a few of them would grumble amongst themselves, and talk about me in a poor light. I didn’t begrudge … Read More
I Don’t Want to be Branded by My Husband’s Affair, or Limited by the Past
In January, I discovered I’d been living in the past. And recently I uncovered yet another layer to this existence. My past, so to speak, the timeline upon which I base my present life, seems to begin and end five-and-a-half years ago. September 1, 2006. The day I stumbled upon my husband’s second affair. And frankly, I am a bit … Read More
On Marital Discord, Part II
Blink. Sixty seven days have elapsed without me following up to the first post on marital discord, sixty-three days since my last writing on this site. Yet it feels like only a week or so ago that I was snapping photos of the uncharacteristically sunny, northeast skies. Where have I been? Procrastinating, I guess. Oh, I’ve been plenty busy with … Read More
On Failure, Fat, and Hope
I recently saw a commercial for the upcoming Biggest Loser series. A quick blip of a girl with a weightlifting bar overheard flashed on the screen and I heard her say, “I used to be an Olympic Weightlifter.” I used to be a swimmer and a diver and an equestrian, I thought. And, as a teenager, some seventy-five pounds lighter … Read More
A Pretty Side of Peril
As I write, Hurricane Irene is fizzling out, southerners are accessing the damage, and northerners will soon be following in their footsteps. We are far enough North that only the storm’s outer bands have reached us. The wind outside my home is blowing branches and hurling raindrops. But in spite of the gray skies, the chime on my deck rings … Read More