I’ve been dreading this holiday for weeks. Normally, I’m here for it all- friends, family, food, fireworks. I’m big on tradition; have been my whole life. And there’s just something so simple and fun about the 4th. I love the expectation and fanfare of it all. The thing about tradition is its comforting rhythm. It … Continue reading My 1st Anti-racist 4th
Yes, I’m Still a Christian
I had a dream last night that our fish died. There was an earthquake and apparently water had sloshed out of his tank and we didn’t notice until it was too late. In the dream, I was desperate to save Carl. That’s our fish. I was doing everything I could to get water to his … Continue reading Yes, I’m Still a Christian
Dear Mr. John Wayne…
Dear Mr. John Wayne, Like you, I grew up in Southern California. I remember having your former home pointed out to me many times riding around in a boat in Newport Harbor, and I have flown in and out of the airport bearing your name countless times. My dad was a huge fan of your … Continue reading Dear Mr. John Wayne…
Until Status Quo Looks Like Justice
Three years ago I had the privilege to visit the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan. It was a somber experience, standing in the place where so many lost their lives. There’s a building called the Atomic Bomb Dome; it stands directly where the bomb was dropped. Because of the way the nuclear bomb detonated, … Continue reading Until Status Quo Looks Like Justice
It’s Time for Truer Stories
The day I found out about the death of Ahmaud Arbery was two full months after he was killed. I wept as I pored over the stories covering his murder, watched the video several times, read people’s reactions. I shared from my heart via social media that as long as we remain silent, things like … Continue reading It’s Time for Truer Stories
Trying Hard to Earn What’s Free
I find myself in the middle of two writing challenges, so I’ve further challenged myself to combine the word prompts for each day into one piece. I figured the joke was on me when I saw today's combination of words-- REACH & STILLNESS, two words that don’t seem to have anything to do with each … Continue reading Trying Hard to Earn What’s Free
Trading Panic for Peace
I battle with anxiety. Like the clinical medicated kind, not the “I worry all the time” kind. In fact, I’m not a conscious worrier on a regular basis; the thoughts I have control over are generally positive and calm. The problem is my amygdala, that part of my brain which controls my anxiety, or more … Continue reading Trading Panic for Peace
Time to Wake Up: What Happened this Month in Mississippi and Why it Matters
A headline flashes across my Facebook feed. “Mississippi governor signs order declaring April 2020 Confederate Heritage Month.” My first reaction is incredulity— that can’t be true. It’s from a news source I’m not familiar with, so I do a quick Google search to see what I can piece together about the story. Within seconds, I … Continue reading Time to Wake Up: What Happened this Month in Mississippi and Why it Matters
Not everything is different…
Easter looked different this year. We still had the food, and the kids hunted eggs and even wore Easter outfits. But family time existed of Zoom meetings and phone calls, and church was on TV while we sat in PJs eating cinnamon rolls and drinking coffee. And by the evening, I was feeling the weight … Continue reading Not everything is different…
12 Tips for “Homeschooling” from a Hybrid Mom
The world looks much different today than we could have ever predicted when 2020 kicked off. With Covid-19 causing a worldwide pandemic and national emergency, we’re all doing our part to help slow the spread and flatten the curve. So, for all of you who are about to become involuntary homeschoolers, as a public educator/homeschool mom hybrid myself, I offer you 12 tips on how to keep your sanity and help your kids thrive at home during this unprecedented worldwide event.
