When the world is closing in on you, and panic and uncertainty threaten to swallow you whole, kindness takes on a new level of importance. An otherwise small gesture of love becomes magnified and gives us the strength to put one foot in front of the other.
Zach Wilson sent me this letter from a friend who found kindness at the ... Read More
It’s the one year anniversary of my mastectomy! Although the cancer is gone, it still very much feels like a part of our lives.
Cancer is similar to a cousin who lives in the basement… sometimes it’s annoying have another guest around, but then he goes and does something totally sweet like stocks the fridge or brings home flowers.
Yes, there are ... Read More
I’ve entered an alternate reality. I’m supposed to be surrounded by children right now, warm sunlight on my face, as the smell of hamburgers wafts from the grill nearby. That’s what summertime is about.
Instead, I’m surrounded by old people, under the cold glow of florescent nursing home lights, with a mixture of chemical cleaners and bodily fluids assulting my senses.
It’s ... Read More
The bad thing about striving to live a life of kindness is that you realize when you fail. And you fail every day. Or maybe I should say, I fail every day.
The minute I keep the conversation trivial to avoid entering someone’s pain, the minute I cut the conversation short with an impatient answer, the minute I lower my eyes ... Read More
What a difference a week makes. Last Thursday, I was on the 35th floor of One World Trade in New York City, feeling on top of the world.
Thanks to my 12 year old daughter’s fundraising efforts, Jordan and I were invited to speak at the Susan G. Komen Partner Summit. She got a standing ovation before she even opened her ... Read More
I remember having two birthday parties as a kid. My family lived on a little farmette with horses, and my dad had a friend who was a clown (doesn’t everyone’s dad have a friend who is a clown?), so when I turned 6 years old, every kid in town came to my house to celebrate. There were yard games and ... Read More
If you drive by my home and there’s toilet paper hanging out the window, don’t be alarmed. The Phillips’ household is officially a bachelor pad.
My daughter and I are on our way to New York City to speak at the Susan G. Komen Partner Summit. Apparently, big companies like to know where their charitable donations are going, so once a ... Read More
Life can change in an instant. One moment you’re young and in love and planning a wedding, and the next, you’re sitting in a hospital room trying to decipher medical jargon and test results.
That’s how it went for Aly Cola. In a matter of days, her life was turned upside down. Thanks to a great act of kindness, it has ... Read More
I went to Columbus yesterday for a check-up with my plastic surgeon. It’s been eight weeks since my reconstruction surgery. This was supposed to be an intense decision-making appointment. Instead, it was perhaps the first time in my life that I decided to leave well-enough alone.
My breasts aren’t perfect. They’re a little smaller than I’m used to and I’m still ... Read More
I first started working on TV in Milwaukee, WI when I was 23 years old. I was as green as they come, giving traffic reports and doing feature stories for the morning news. I had no business being on television, but I had the eagerness of youth on my side and a team of people to learn from who were ... Read More
