Growing up in various cities around Washington, D.C. that were inhabited by just about every race and skin color, I didn’t look particularly different from everyone else. My brown, biracial skin wasn’t out of place or something that drew attention, so I never really thought about race. I noticed other things, though. Like income disparities … Continue reading Mixed in America: A Perspective on Discrimination
(Emotional) DOMS
Photo by Mario Azzi on Unsplash Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness—or DOMS—happens when you stress a muscle beyond its normal usage and it results in muscle soreness after a period of rest, most commonly the next day. This could happen if you’re out hiking or biking when it’s been a while, or maybe from that first … Continue reading (Emotional) DOMS
More Than A Name
Photo by Neil Su on Unsplash “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” William Shakespeare You’re likely familiar with the line above from Romeo and Juliet, spoken by Romeo about the fact that Juliet is a Capulet, his family’s sworn enemy. His words speak … Continue reading More Than A Name
Losing Face
Photo by Caleb Woods on Unsplash Have you ever done something to lose face with your peers? Your superiors? Maybe your family or friends? I think it’s almost a rite of passage to do so when you’re growing up; it’s part of learning acceptable social behavior and developing your sense of right and wrong, your … Continue reading Losing Face
Silver Linings: The Great Outdoors
Only two months ago, you could ask a single question and receive two predictable, yet vastly different, answers from my daughters. The question was simple enough: What would you like to do? 95% of the time, Grace (my three-year-old) would respond with gusto that she wanted to go outside. And 99.9% of the time, Marie … Continue reading Silver Linings: The Great Outdoors
Moments of Gratitude
Much like Annie, the main character in my novel Finding Annie, I have always searched for silver linings. The more dire the situation, the more important it has always been for me to find something positive; I simply can’t stomach the thought of something dreadful occurring and having only terrible takeaways. Some aspect of my … Continue reading Moments of Gratitude
Inspirational Quotes Part 2: A Wolf in Disguise
You're likely familiar with this excerpt from Little Red Riding Hood by Brothers Grimm, or some variation of it. At this point, it’s too late for Little Red Riding Hood, who has fallen for the wolf’s trap of pretending to be her grandmother. No matter what version you’ve read, though, Little Red Riding Hood ends … Continue reading Inspirational Quotes Part 2: A Wolf in Disguise
The Art of Waterproofing
If you have kids, they’ve likely gone through a magic phase. My daughters, ages three and five, are in one right now. They run around the house waving whatever was closest to them when inspiration hit—dress-up wand, marker, chopstick, Barbie leg—shouting “Magic, magic, turn me into a _______!” What’s in the blank? Well, that changes … Continue reading The Art of Waterproofing
The Hardest Things to Say
I remember watching Mary Poppins for the first time. I was eight or nine, and the movie impacted me on a few different levels. I loved the music and the singing. I envied the kids for having someone who cared for and about them. And I loved the nonsense word I was introduced to: Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. … Continue reading The Hardest Things to Say
WWND: What Would Norman Do?
It’s no secret that I have a soft spot for the ’90s (see this post), and the decade has yet again provided me with some inspiration. Get ready to take a trip back about twenty-five years… Remember the advent of WWJD? It stands for “What Would Jesus Do?” and was started by a youth group … Continue reading WWND: What Would Norman Do?
