On the days I wake up feeling down or defeated, I know it’s time for a gift.
Not for myself, but for others.
There is nothing that reroutes my day faster than picking out a little treat for someone. It doesn’t even matter what it is. I’ve purchased funny magnets at the gas station, a 2 liter of soda for a Mountain ... Read More
My son, Ben, said to me the other day, “Mom, wasn’t 2020 the best year ever?”
Ben is 10, so he is well aware of everything everyone has been through this past year. I looked at him to see if he was joking. Then I said, “Are you kidding?”
“No Mom. It really was great. We moved next to a cornfield and ... Read More
How are those New Year’s resolutions going? Are you still creating healthy meals and doing daily living room workouts and limiting yourself to four hours of Facebook a day?
For me, motivation doesn’t come from being passionate about what I’m doing — it comes from being passionate about why I’m doing it. I need to know my actions matter, both to ... Read More
Last January, my husband made national news for accidentally making a really dumb decision. He’s a basketball coach, but instead of taking the team bus, he braved the snow in his own car so he could attempt to fit in some alumni meetings.
Saul was driving in the middle of Nebraska when he went from bad visibility to ... Read More
True kindness doesn’t take more than you have to give. While it might leave us empty-handed, it never leaves us empty-hearted.
I learned that five years ago when I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
As you can probably imagine, I was terrified. I woke up at 4:30 one morning in the midst of a storm, first thinking of myself, then thinking about ... Read More
How anxious are you to get the tree down once Christmas is over? Are you one of those people who says, “Time for spring! Let’s move on!” — or are you more inclined to sit in the quiet glow of the strings of lights for just a few more weeks?
I bet there is one ornament that will stay in plain ... Read More
How many times do you think some ugly or disagreeable thought and manage to keep it to yourself? Good job! It’s better to button our lips when we know what we want to say isn’t kind.
But this new year, I’d like us to resolve to open our mouths. Let our words flow. No, not the negative ones, but the ones ... Read More
I’ve noticed something over the past nine years of writing this column. Acts of Christmas kindness seem to have a special ability to stay with us throughout years and even decades.
Two women have shared just those types of kindness with me in the following stories. The first is from Gretchen Robinson from South Hill, VA.
“My kindness story happened ... Read More
Someone somewhere is grieving this holiday season. Maybe it’s you. Maybe it’s someone you love.
It can be hard to know how our kindness will be received when we’re dealing with someone who is in incredible pain. After all, hurt people hurt people. If we reach out, we may end up resented, rejected or, worse yet, adding to our friend’s anguish.
But ... Read More
We never know what each day will bring.
Does that thought elicit fear or excitement or gratitude in you? Maybe it stirs up a combination of feelings.
Just last year, Alysa Tulibaski was enjoying a special evening with family when her husband was called to the aid of people who certainly didn’t see what was coming.
“Dec. 14, 2019, my husband was just ... Read More
