Sometimes one unexpected question can change the way you see yourself. For me, the question was asked after a lecture on domestic violence in one of my sociology questions. A young female student raised her hand and asked, "How did you become such a strong woman after all that you have been through?" I stopped... Continue Reading →
To me, one of the most painful times as a parent is when your toddler says, "I can do it myself!" Those words have stopped many a parent in their tracks, mouths agape, silently screaming, "No! Not Yet!" It is a downward slope from that moment to "I need the car tonight," and it seems... Continue Reading →
Being sick and confined to bed the last two weeks gave me time for serious reflection. When I was a little girl of age nine, I remember the older people in church thanking God for waking up in their "right mind." I did not fully understand then what they meant by having a right mind.... Continue Reading →
One of the wonderful perks of being a professor was seeing the reactions of parents at graduation. The professors were required to attend at least one ceremony each year, but, wherever I was teaching, I always volunteered to attend all of the graduation services, much to the relief of my colleagues who were not as... Continue Reading →
I have often wished for two of me, especially when I have found myself with more to do than time to do it. I would think that it would be great to be able to be in two, or even three, places at one time, so that I could say yes to even more requests... Continue Reading →
I was the guilty party, but I did not want to suffer the consequences of my actions, so I stayed quiet as my young male cousin, Leon, was punished for my transgressions. My sister, JoAnn, and I had moved in with our great-aunt who had raised our mother. We called her Aunt Brownie, and she... Continue Reading →
I thought it was a love story with a happy ending. The joy and laughter we shared was so rich every day that I just knew that nothing could stop us from spending our lives together. He declared his love for me each day, something he knew that I needed to defeat my insecurities. Even... Continue Reading →
As I am battling pneumonia and pharyngitis and having to depend on Douglas for everything, I looked up the word for today, and I immediately thought of a post. One of the most awkward moments of my life taught me a great lesson: Be careful of the people you hurt or harm, because you never... Continue Reading →
As a professor, I met so many students who had a poor opinion of their abilities to be more than just be average in college because someone had told them early in their lives that they were not smart, capable, or good enough to be successful. These are what I call premature assessments, decisions made... Continue Reading →
One of the most wonderful aspects of being in Portugal was that everything that we needed, from groceries to medical care, was within walking distance. Â Everybody walked, including children. Many of the cars in Quarteria belonged to the tourists. Every evening, we joined what appeared to be the whole city in strolling along the boardwalk... Continue Reading →
Help from Heaven 