INVITE: Free Write Day 13

  START   When I hit "publish" on a blog post, I'm sending an invitation. You—and anyone else who happens upon this blog—is invited to spend time here. I love it when you do!   But hitting "publish" is sometimes scary. It's like inviting guests to come to dinner, then cooking a fine meal and putting out the best china.   Will they come . . . or will they have other plans? If they come, will they enjoy the meal?   Will the conversation flow easily or will it be difficult?   Every time I invite you here, I risk criticism, self-doubt, second thoughts   . . . because each time I extend the invitation, I'm inviting you into my inner sanctum. I'm giving you a peek at who I am — ... Keep Reading...

WRITE: Free Write Day 12

Wow. We’re already more than a third of the way through this 31-day free-write exercise. Thanks for sticking with me! I’m finding some days are easier than others . . .   START   Some people express themselves through music or art.   I write.   When I feel the need to put my deepest thoughts into some kind of order, I write.   Unguarded.   Spill-it-all prayers in a prayer journal. Letters to the grandsons — for their "someday" reading. Revealing blog posts.   Writing is therapeutic. Sometimes it’s the only way to quiet the whirling thoughts in my mind; the only way to bring order to chaos.   After an all-in writing session, I feel my pulse slow and my spirit ... Keep Reading...

REMEMBER: Free Write Day 11

  START   How I’d love to hear their stories!   The couple in this picture has lived long enough to have a lifetime of memories — some good, some bad.   Same for us, no matter our age.   Life dishes out both hard times and ones we’d like to remain in “forever”. But Life keeps moving us forward, and how we respond to the ebb and flow of it is a choice we have to make.   It’s easy to focus on the hard times, the “what ifs”, and the “could’ve beens”.   But I’d rather take my cue from the wisdom and joy I see in these wrinkled smiles:  Choose joy!   Choose to focus on the beauty, the happiness, the positive memories.   The entirety of our lives make us who we ... Keep Reading...