How sadness and joy can co-exist — Have you ever experienced something that was truly amazing but it didn’t work out the way that you had planned or expected? We’ve all had really bad shit happen to us. But have we all had amazing miracles occur in our lives and yet still felt like we lost something? …

How refusing compliments robs you of joy — “I love your dress”…and my reflexive response is “This? got it for $12”. “Those earrings are gorgeous”…earns a polite but sharp “These are just cheap costume jewelry”. Why the need for explanation? Why the rude response with no intent of being impolite? Why the inability to value their input and…

A reminder to live your best life Last week I was stuck in Chicago at the airport. Over the course of many hours were repeated announcements holding promise of departure in another 90 minutes. With each announcement, I grew more frustrated and as it got later I realized I better…

A legacy of love and faith — I never really had a father. Biologically I did and now my father is a distant childhood memory, but after having children of my own I understand what it actually means to be a parent. In my childhood, I really never experienced what a true father represents. I know now…

Perspective you only get from betrayal — It’s happened to you. It happens to everyone. You have been lied to. Do you remember the doubt as the person was talking? As you were listening to them speak, was your mind doing logical arithmetic to determine the probability of truth? Do you remember how it felt when you…

What do I know and why do you care? —

Melissa Jurkoic is a… — Mother Without a doubt, her hardest yet most rewarding job is being a mom to her three sons. She has great pride in her contribution to creating responsible and considerate adults for our society and takes time often to reflect on their accomplishments and growth over the last 24 years. …