CONNECTING HEARTS THROUGH WORDS
Trying to wing the toast at my son’s wedding last May was a horrible idea. Once I had the microphone and looked out at that lakefront ballroom full of cherished family and friends, I felt an uncomfortable lump forming in my throat. When I turned to address the bride and groom, the swelling moved up... Continue Reading →
What was going on? Yes, they lost the game and I knew he was extremely disappointed but this son, a sophomore in high school and quarterback of the football team, was usually not one to cry in public. I was working the concession stand, selling snacks and laughing with other parents and the abundance of... Continue Reading →
I sat poolside in this Mexican resort town and noticed a tingling clearness in my head and my breathing start to slow down and expand. It felt like a watch that had been ticking too fast, suddenly being reset to the correct tempo—an invisible rebooting of my soul. I recently heard the soul described as... Continue Reading →
I rolled over restlessly at the first morning light and spotted the thick, folded pile of papers that had been pushed under my door. My heart dropped to my feet and I jumped up to grab them. For an eighth of a second I thought, Did he run away? Did he hurt himself? but I... Continue Reading →
What do you think people will say about you after you’re gone? What do you want to be remembered for? What will your legacy be? Back in high school, my classmates and I once had to write our own obituaries for a homework assignment. I remember feeling it was extremely morbid, but now I... Continue Reading →
Seeing his arm, waving like a windshield wiper out of his enormous truck, woke me from my buoyant reverie. I was singing along to “Beautiful” by MercyMe, my daughter by my side, and admiring the bright sun, fall colors, and cornflower blue sky when we slowed to make a left. There was unending traffic coming... Continue Reading →
Being petrified of flying has its advantages. Okay, advantages is an overstatement, but there is one reason I'm thankful for my intense fear. When I'm up in the clouds and my heart is hammering in my chest, I can pray to God for hours on end—which is exactly what I did this past July on... Continue Reading →
She looked breathtaking in her wedding dress. When her nine bridesmaids danced through the bedroom door to get a first glimpse, many of their eyes filled with tears. They were happy for her and overcome with joy to see their dear friend wearing the gown she'd soon be married in. Hosting the entire wedding party... Continue Reading →
Today is my middle child's twenty-first birthday. Only yesterday, I was dragging myself around the supermarket in tears because it was his first week of kindergarten, and I felt like both my arms had been amputated. Two kids were now in school, and I walked in circles for weeks until I figured out my new normal. Today,... Continue Reading →
No sooner had the words come rushing out of my mouth that I saw a single, fat tear roll down her cheek. She looked at me with incredulous eyes, and my heart pounded. Backstory: A few months ago, I had been in this same shoe store and noticed that the young employee seemed upset and... Continue Reading →
As we rounded the corner onto our street, the anticipation I'd felt for the last ten days couldn't be contained one second longer. In our driveway, I left everything in the car and ran through the snow to the front door, flinging it open. My little boy had been waiting up next to my sister-in-law... Continue Reading →
There's a fine line between joy and despair, laughter and tears, the truth and a lie, life and even death. We should've seen it coming—we already knew we were on very thin ice. Especially after our agency was shut down by the U.S. State Department in December, but, still, we had hope. Looking back now,... Continue Reading →