Author: nicole

There is a brave mom in my town who is a warrior. She never would have considered herself a warrior, but when it comes to our kids, we can often find strength we don’t know we have.

This mom has a son who was hating school. Now I don’t mean hating, I mean HATING. He would get physically ill before ... Read More


Can you remember what you got for your seventh birthday? How about your eighth? Ninth?

Maybe there’s one special present that stands out, but for me, it’s all pretty fuzzy.

It’s not the big celebrations or occasions that I remember from my childhood. My brain chooses to hold onto things that are much more random.

For instance, I remember when I was about ... Read More


My husband is not a reader. Unless you count ESPN.com or a variety of online news sources, he pretty much goes for human interaction before settling into a good book.

He has been known to read the atlas in the bathtub, but since that’s mainly pictures, I’m not sure it counts.

Imagine my surprise when I walked onto the back ... Read More


Did you have a good summer? People ask each other that question all the time, but this time, I hope you’ll take a moment to think about it.

What moments of your summer mattered? My guess is they were the ones that were filled with kindness.

When we show up in people’s lives and notice them and love on them, we take ... Read More


I didn’t win.

Remember that Guideposts Writer’s Workshop I told you about a few weeks ago? I was eagerly anticipating the call that said, “Congratulations! You’ve been selected…”

Yeah. That call never came. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday all came and all day long I stuck to my phone like glue, but the call never came.

Have you ever been in that place? Waiting for ... Read More


Life is often made in the margins.

Those are the little segments of time on our calendars we don’t have planned. They are the 15 minutes before we need to be out the door to our kid’s soccer practice, the 30 minutes before our next meeting or, in the case of the woman who sent in the following story, the hour ... Read More


You’ve been on my mind. I’ve been wondering what it is you’re hoping for, and I’ve been hoping you’re living like you’ve already gotten it.

Last June I entered a contest. It’s for writers. We submit a cover letter and a true story with the hopes of being chosen to attend a free conference this October where we learn the art ... Read More


There is something to be said about being in the right place at the right time. It feels fortuitous, almost like someone is watching out for us or that our interactions are predetermined.

But instead of hoping to be in the right place at the right time, I long to be more aware of my surroundings. I want to be attentive ... Read More


I spent last Friday afternoon in a women’s prison. I was there visiting someone I’ve started to think of as a friend. She’s the mom of a little boy I love.

Why she’s there probably isn’t important. Why are any of us where we are? Maybe we said “Yes” one too many times or our “No” came too late to count.

Anyway, ... Read More


I went to a conference earlier this month that was basically a two-day party for people who love kindness. Every night, a few folks would stand up and share a five-minute story about their favorite acts of kindness.

I wish I would have had the foresight to record their messages. I would have had enough material to fill this column for ... Read More