Get out of your comfort zone. Five weeks ago, I was in beautiful Salem and Boston, Massachusetts. I was there on my own for three days with a lot on my personal agenda. I roamed several old cemeteries, held almost-400-year-old books (squee!), visited ancestral sites, and wandered the Freedom Trail…

A journey to an authentic life. — I clearly remember the first time I felt ‘wrong’. I was small, five or six years old, and was leafing through a volume of our encyclopedia set. It must have been Volume B because I suddenly happened upon a page of beautiful birthstones. Oh, how I wanted the beautiful deep…

Old stigmas never seem to die… Let’s talk tattoos. In this day and age, one wouldn’t think that tattoos are a big deal. It’s pretty common to see people of all ages sporting some kind of body art. Still, just in the past week, I’ve seen negative things on social…

A time to recharge. Introverts are well-known for wanting their alone time and for me, travel is no exception. I do enjoy the trips I take with my family and friends. I have wonderful memories from those adventures and I look forward to many more, including but the occasional trip…

A letter to our invisible roommates Dear House Ghosts, You’ve been here a long time, at least two of you have been here longer than we have, if you’re the ones who are still around. You’ve been a pretty decent lot for the last twenty years, not scary, except for…

Heroes in scrubs I’m posting this in honor of my Grandma Ruth, who crossed over twelve years ago today. A little more than twenty-three years ago, a nurse named Vincent at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit made all the difference. Our first baby, only three months old, had just had…

Loved ones are still around, pay attention. When someone we love crosses over, we miss them terribly. We want to know if they’re okay, if they’re still around, if they’re with us. Sometimes we ask for a sign, just to see if they’re listening. People believe different things about what…

A sort-of New Year Resolution I’m not usually one for New Year resolutions. They’re made with the best of intentions, but more often than not, they’re only a memory by February. This year, though, I am making a resolution. Two, actually. I am going to actively, consistently seek representation from…

Through the eyes of babies and children There’s a beautiful framed print hanging in my bedroom that I’ve had for more than twenty years. It’s by the American artist Robert Duncan, entitled Mother and Son. A young mother in a long white nightgown, her reddish-brown hair tucked up messily, holds…