Mother Mentors: Finding My Do-Over

I’m not sure why the words, Mother Mentors, on the brochure asking for volunteers caught my eye. My daughters were grown. My days of full time mothering were over. But the word “mentors” sidled up next to “mother,” intrigued me. Maybe it was because as a young mother I felt no matter how fast IContinue reading “Mother Mentors: Finding My Do-Over”

Love, Loss and Puppy Dogs

Annie was everything I didn’t want in a dog, yet everything I needed.  But my story doesn’t start with Annie. It starts with Chocolate, a lab shepherd, who also happened to be the best dog ever.  I found him from a flyer pinned to a bulletin board at the market with the word “Puppies!” in bold across the top.  There wasContinue reading “Love, Loss and Puppy Dogs”

All The Reasons Why

I’ve been circling around writing for the past few months without actually writing; like a movie shark circling around a bloodied limb but never clamping down with its razor sharp teeth. But as with most things I try to avoid, eventually I come to a dead end and I am face to face with it.  I wonderedContinue reading “All The Reasons Why”

Shake, Shake, Shake Your …

  “Shake Dem Halloween Bones” by Mike Reed is a children’s book that combines colorful illustrations of children dressed in fairy tale costumes with a catchy chorus. “Shake, shake, shake dem bones now.  Shake, shake, shake dem bones now.  Shake, shake, shake dem bones at the hip hop Halloween Ball”. We read the book and singContinue reading “Shake, Shake, Shake Your …”

Snake

A snake knows when to leave its skin behind and does so without fanfare or fuss. Oh, to have the freedom of a snake. Free of guilt and fear. Free of the hamster wheel of thoughts cycling through the endless what-ifs, responsibilities and possible regrets. A snake simply slithers from skin that has become rigidContinue reading “Snake”

My Lap

Tonight my daughter crawled into my lap.  I could tell something was bothering her, but I’d learned that prying often led to her withdrawing like a turtle deep into a protective shell where I could not reach her.  But tonight when the house was silent and dark she crawled into my lap. She is nineteenContinue reading “My Lap”

Jar of Stones

I remember hearing a story about a monkey who came across a glass jar full of colorful stones.  Being a curious monkey she reached in to take some.  With her hand inside the jar she realized she wanted more than one stone so she filled her fingers with all she could hold.  When she triedContinue reading “Jar of Stones”