Death, Empowerment, and How To Make Your Grandpa Proud: Thoughts on A Wish Come Clear’s Anniversary
There's a great deal of power in having someone believe in your dreams. The path to following my dream of becoming a full-time writer is filled with people who believed in me. From my grade-school teachers (who thought I had a gift for writing) to my parents (who took me to 6am skating practice, helped me get to Vassar, and so much more), to my friends and readers here (who have brought stories, help, and support to every post) to my husband (whose technical and emotional support have been invaluable) ... I could not have done any of this without...
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Little Known Ways To Face Your Fears & Wow The Crowds…Maybe.
This is a story about a time when I fell flat on my face. Metaphorically, I mean. And I don't know about you, but that's a big fear of mine. Preparing and trying to do my best, and instead...completely blowing it. When L'Arche DC celebrated its 25th anniversary birthday, I volunteered to give a speech with Leo at the Saturday evening banquet. I was his accompanier, and L'Arche DC's 25th anniversary was more Leo's celebration than anyone's. As the community's founding member, it was a milestone for him. So Leo and I practiced in an interview format, as...
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10 Life Lessons You Can Learn at L’Arche
As I was trying to decide which of my L'Arche friends to focus on for today's post, I realized: I didn't want to choose just one. Instead, I wanted to bring you the words of wisdom that each of them has shared with me over the years. And, while I don't want to give the impression that L'Arche is a field of daisies wherein the members spout words of wisdom at every turn...I have been blessed to learn from some very wise individuals. Some of the wisest people I know. Don't let the balloon hats fool you. So,...
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What To Do When You Feel Like Giving Up
This past week, I vacationed with my husband's family at Lake Martin, Alabama. I had brave, active days: driving a WaveRunner, tubing and water-skiing. Yes, water-skiing. For my first day out, however, it would be more accurate to say, "I went out into the water, wearing skis, with every intention of water-skiing." I managed to get to a standing position maybe twice. Mostly, I fell down. As my failed attempts continued, I felt a connection between my attempt to ski and every task or relationship that I've been tempted to give up on. I thought of my brother,...
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Breaking Free From Failure In 4 Steps
Author's Note: I have a guest post up at Bloom, a website that focuses on "Parenting kids with disabilities". It's entitled, "An open letter to parents: on what your children remember." Visits and comments are welcomed! *** Since I last wrote about 'Secrets of Success', I thought today would be a good day to talk about the F-word: Failure. So let's say you've decided to be vulnerable, to start paying attention to the important things, break free of your perceived constraints and celebrate what is. Fabulous. I'm right there with you. But what happens when things don't go as planned?...
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