Football has been a staple in my home my entire life. Sunday afternoons and Monday nights, Dad and I sat in front of the television, watching Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Walter Payton, and Emmitt Smith make history. My son played in middle school, and recently, it’s been the common thread that kept us together when politics threatened to tear us … Read More
Bloom Where You’re Planted
Bloom where you’re planted It means flourishing regardless of circumstances and growing despite your environment. Such sage advice. And yet, so many of us waste precious time thinking, “… if I had a better job/found someone who loved me/made more money/had a bigger house/ etc., I’d be happy.” Or the “I’ll wait to decorate when I get a bigger house/apartment” … Read More
Stay in your lane
I have strong opinions about what’s happening in the world—and that shouldn’t be surprising. My day job is teaching at-risk students, many of whom were born outside this country. I see their fear and am touched by their humanity. This summer, I’ve started stocking a food pantry for my classroom for the fall, because I know some of my students … Read More
The Age of Accountability
Traditionally, the age of eighteen marks the threshold of adulthood. It’s a time when the reins of childhood are loosened, and responsibility shifts entirely, giving young adults the freedom to carve their own paths. It’s when we stand and face the weight of our choices–when we realize that every action and every decision can become a burden we alone bear. … Read More
Circle of Empowerment
So many horrible things are happening at whiplash speed. It can leave us with a sense of helplessness and rage. That’s exactly how they want you to feel. So what can we do? Steven Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People teaches how to be productive in the workplace, but it also applies to life. Simply put, to be effective, … Read More
Your Line in the Sand
Cognitive dissonance. I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately. Actually, I’ve been thinking about how we got here, how good, moral people, people I’ve loved for decades, friends, family … people I work with, pray with, used to respect … how can these people support such despicable acts? Where is their line in the sand? This isn’t a political … Read More
The Year of Reclamation
On January 1st, 2023, for the first time in fifteen years, I didn’t write a year-naming blog post. 2022 had left me disillusioned and exhausted. Teaching traumatized children took unimaginable patience and energy. My father struggled with health issues, and continual worry had smothered what little creativity I had left. The only bright spot was my daughter’s decision to change … Read More
Recovering from the Pandemic
This past year has been one for the record books, especially for teachers. Scrambling to create virtual classrooms on the fly while dealing with food and technology disparities for our low socio-economic kiddos was, at times, overwhelming. Prolonged stress had left me burned out and bone-weary. Nothing, not even writing, could pull me from that infernal sense of detachment. My … Read More
Healing Wounds of the Past
When I make bone-headed decisions, or, in the case of this past cortisol-infested pandemic year, lash out because of stress or fear, I remember the wise words of Maya Angelou. The saying is steeped in grace, isn’t it? It allows us to acknowledge our shortcomings, and yet, it gives us hope that maybe we can grow past them and become … Read More
Understanding Accountability
The dark events of this past week were so horrific that most people I know shy away from even discussing it. But I can’t ignore what happened–it feels disingenuous and wrong. Like most Americans, my heart broke as I watched an animalistic mob invade the seat of our democracy, the very symbol that countless brave men and women have died … Read More