Holding on to Hope (When Everything Seems Bleak)
There are days when it’s easy to be an optimist. These are the days in which your relationships are harmonious, when your work flows smoothly and according-to-plan. And all the while, you’re acutely, beautifully aware of the many blessings that surround you. On days like this, I readily believe in grace. And, in the words of Byron Katie, “Grace means understanding that where you are is where you always wanted to be.” And then there are … the other days. A tough day of flea-fighting The down days. The days that start with you over-sleeping, or maybe waking...
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Would You Dare To Go ‘All In’ On A Dream?
There's something magical about deciding to go all in. Photo Credit: Brian Taylor Photography In that moment when you make the heart-pounding decision to commit to doing whatever it is you most need to do, energy starts flowing through you. Things happen to make you feel as though you're not alone, as though Something or Someone is blessing your efforts. It's as though a mysterious force actually wants you to succeed. This is both unnerving and exciting. Just a year ago, I dreamed (and feared the dream) of becoming a full-time writer. I longed to work on projects...
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My Greatest Teacher in the Art of Acceptance: My Brother with Autism
This is the 99th published post here at A Wish Come Clear. With the 100th post around the corner, I'm thinking about another milestone that's coming up soon: my younger brother Willie's 25th birthday. (Willie has autism, as well as myriad creative gifts; he came up with the name 'A Wish Come Clear'.) Willie has been talking about his 25th birthday since, well, the day after his 24th. At regular intervals, he announces, "On May 10, 2012, Willie will be 25 years old!" And then, of course, we gently prompt, "I will be 25", and he says it right back,...
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What You’re Going Through Is What You Have to Give: Confessions from a (Reluctant) Reframer
It's confession time. Confession #1: I've spent the last twenty minutes checking Facebook and Twitter, in a last-ditch attempt to procrastinate writing this post. Confession #2: This our ninety-sixth (96th!) post here at A Wish Come Clear. You'd think I'd be over feeling insecure about sharing my life stories in this way, but no. Vulnerability packs a punch. Every. Single. Time. Confession #3: For the last four weeks, I have not felt like myself. I had what I thought was the flu last month, but I've not been able to bounce back from it. And then the telltale spots appeared....
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Hoping Against Hope, Lighting It Up Blue: World Autism Awareness Day
This past week, I experienced a new kind of homecoming. My family had the joy of being together, but we also had the sorrow of my brother Willie's outbursts. For the first time in a long time, he had multiple instances of out-of-control aggression in the span of a week. As such, World Autism Awareness Day is tinged with pain for me. It's the grief of watching my parents incur injuries as they try to protect their son from self-harm. It's the powerlessness of wanting to help and not knowing how. Most of all, it's the sound of Willie's weeping...
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Darling Neurotic, Meet Your New Best Friend: The Radical Practice of Rest
My husband and I have been under the weather this week. We're dealing with some kind of virus, and he's facing seasonal allergies on top of that. We've been keeping up with our most important responsibilities by sleeping or resting every free moment. And slowly, we're starting to feel better. This week of fatigue has had me feeling anxious; I worry about not getting enough work done each day, not moving faster toward my big goals. And there's always this nagging, hypochondriac worry that maybe this bug is something serious. In moments like these, I call my dear friend Brooke...
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Overhearing that Argument (A Lesson Learned in Laughter)
Happy Monday, all! First off, I'd like to welcome visitors from Autism Key and I'm A Mom Too. I have two guest posts up this week; "Autism, Siblings and the R-Word Effect" and, "A Lifetime of Lies (And A Truth to Set You Free)." First-time visitors, be sure to check out the welcome video (to your right and below), and visit the About page. Finally, I'd like to offer you a gift: Your Creed of Care: How To Dig For Treasure In People (Without Getting Buried Alive). This book is about balancing the responsibilities of caregiving with the responsibility of...
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The Delivery That Changed My Life (And The Book That Could Change Yours)
Last week, I found a small, brown package propped up against the door to our apartment. I didn't have to pick it up to know what it was; in fact, once I did pick it up, I set it carefully on our coffee table and proceeded to ignore it for several hours. (Perhaps ignore doesn't quite capture it. Tiptoe around it like the elephant in the room is much more accurate.) The proof copy of Love's Subversive Stance had arrived, and somehow, I wasn't quite ready to open it. And then, hours later, I was. Slowly, I cut...
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Feeling Uncomfortable, Unwelcome, Unprepared? Good News: You’re Not Alone.
Once upon a Christmas, Pedro* and I set off for church. I'm spending the holiday with L'Arche in part to get a chance to see my husband (whose holiday schedule has him sharing time for up to 13 hours a day) and in part because the L'Arche members are a part of my family. I've spent my last five Christmases with them, so when my friend Pedro sets his heart on going to mass at St. Matthew's Cathedral, I open my heart and say yes to accompanying him there. We take a few wrong turns in the labyrinthine parking garage,...
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Launch Day: Love’s Subversive Stance is Here!
It's the day you've been waiting for; Love's Subversive Stance is finally here! I'm proud to offer you this ebook, which contains 90+ pages of stories to help you go deeper with your most challenging relationships. If you want to say YES to standing on the subversive soil of love, pick up your copy today! Some early reviews: "The more I read of this book, the more I love it. It's really a beautiful collection of stories." -Allison McGinley, Be Not Afraid "Congratulations! I love the book...beautifully laid out." -Arvind Devalia, Make It Happen "...All I can say that it...
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