My name is Sherry which means darling or cherished one.

I’m having a difficult time trying to figure out why, in my fifties, why my name suddenly feels so foreign and untruthful.

Once upon a time, there were many people who loved me. I had parents who loved me and a little sister who adored me.

I had the BEST best friend anyone could ever hope for. I once was surrounded by friends who couldn’t get enough of me. Everyone who was acquainted with me wanted to spend time with me. I was rich with love and adoration.

Now, I’m…

Yoga has been a part of my life for over 10 years and it just dawned on me, I’ve only been half effective at it. Sure, I was getting the physical benefits of flexibility, strength, and balance. However, there’s a huge area I’ve neglected all these years and that was the mindfulness part.

You may assume from the opening paragraph in this post, it’s all about yoga. …

What is this stigma throughout America that once you reach a certain age you shouldn't rent anymore — especially apartments? Why aren’t the words “For Rent” found in the description of the American Dream?

I’ve heard the phrase, “Renting is throwing money away,” all my life.

For me, however, I’ve never agreed with that. I never wanted to own a house and all the maintenance and expense that come with one.

I know I’m a small fish swimming in the opposite direction of most. I also know the financial arguments in favor of owning a home. Additionally, I’m aware of…

I took the path less traveled, no surprise, I find myself all alone;

A foreboding street, a signpost forgot to exist, and no streetlight ever shone;

Park benches are for reflection, and there ought to be one around here,

Shall I keep walking deeper into the forest or turn around and face my fears?

It’s been a bitter day, reminding me of a life that could’ve been good,

Full of people I left, wishing to change things if I could.

I belong to a secret society, I greet every bird by name,

I acknowledge each new mushroom and wish the…

Cigarettes.

As much a part of my identity as my name.

They traveled with me from room to room, every waking moment.

My lighters were carefully chosen accessories. Personal expressions vying for attention just as much as my bright red lipstick and big, silver hoop earrings.

It was the eighties and nineties and I could smoke anywhere. I cruised the halls of my local mall with my buddies, leaving clouds of smoke everywhere we tread. I stood in the checkout line at K-Mart, cigarette in one hand and writing a check with the other. The elevators in Las Vegas came…

Next Stop… Menopause

Hormones may not rule the world, still, all of mankind, male and female, can blame or attribute many decisions — life-changing decisions — on hormones.

Whether surging in our younger years or falling (and rising and falling) as I find myself presently, hormones have a say-so in our lives. They want to call the shots and they want to be heard.

So, I find myself in this strange period 🔴 (no pun intended, ok, maybe a little intended) of life where I’m counting the months between cycles. The golden number is twelve. …

My stats took a beating in May. Did my writing skills disappear? Were my stories boring? Have I run out of creative ideas?

Those are just a few of the questions and conversations I’ve had in my head for the past several weeks. Those I mentioned are the “nicer” comments.

It’s surprising how unsympathetic and cold we can be with the insults we hurl at ourselves.

April was a busy month for me, personally. I only managed to publish two stories on Medium for the entire month. However, those two stories did well (by my standards). …

All of my life, I had wanted to visit New York City. Two reasons kept me from going. One, I couldn’t find anyone to go with me. Secondly, I was afraid to go alone. Those two negatives kept me from visiting the most dynamic city in the world.

If I’m presented with a challenge in life and all the answers are negatives, then I know I’m not using all of my problem-solving skills. That’s when I dig in and turn those negatives into something else.

After taking some solo trips to a few smaller cities, I realized that going alone is not a hardship at all. That’s when I began planning my first trip to NYC.

Planning Time

The trip would be a four-day visit in late August. I researched and researched. Made an itinerary of the things I…