Where am I? I often seem to ask myself this question. When I ask it, I am not questioning my physical location. I am aware of where my physical body is. I am wondering where I am in my head. Which world am I in? I don’t know if this is a particular occurrence for…
Author: Shell
Sheltered in the Pine Boughs
The cold wind blew through the pine branches Shell had pulled together as a shelter against the Wisconsin weather in November. Earlier in the day the sign by the bank flashed a temperature of 15 degrees. It wasn’t unheard of but it was unusual to be this cold before December. The ragged duffel bag that…
Silent Tears
Late at night when the moon is full And I’m sitting up all alone, Tears fall silently down my cheeks Although I keep this fact unknown. Sometimes my thoughts are so heavy I fear nobody could understand. I grapple with them on my own Afraid to ask someone for a hand. I let the painful…
I Write For Me
As I sit here in front of the computer with a blank word processor document open on the screen I can think of a handful of things I should be doing instead. I really should email Sally, my third cousin twice-removed. It’s only been 23 years since we last spoke. She might remember me. Cookie…
Reason, Season or Lifetime?
There’s a saying I’ve seen multiple times on social media which states that people come into our lives for a reason, for a season or for a lifetime and it is our responsibility to determine which one they are. Those who are here for a reason come into our lives when we need help of…
Georgie and the Cottage
The cottage doesn’t look like much to a casual observer. The open porch is a bed of concrete with pillars the thickness of railroad ties holding up the roof. The front of the building is gray wood siding with two windows and an entry door. Upon opening the squeaky screen door a wooden front door…
Patience is Not MY Virtue
“Hold your horses!” “Just have patience!” So often in my life I have heard those phrases thrown at me. Most of the time I’m in a hurry when I hear them. Then again that seems to be the story of my life. Patience is NOT a virtue of which I can boast. Almost anyone who…
REFLECTIONS
This week I had the opportunity to meet with a friend who has been going through a really rough time in her young life. She is under 30, has an eating disorder, has suffered through being molested by a trusted adult at a young age, and has serious health conditions. Nobody that young should ever…
Children, Do As I Say, Not as I Do
What are you teaching your children? Are you aware how much they learn from your actions? We tell our kids, “Do as I say, not as I do”, but the reality is that they watch and duplicate the actions they see more than they listen to the words we speak to them. There is a…
Just Be Real Already
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” Dr. Seuss I’ve always felt a connection to that quotation. In simple terms it is saying to be yourself. Be real. Just be who you are, no masks, no false faces, no hidden agendas….