Story Index

With all the upsets in our country, can we still be proud to be Americans? — My father used to get a real kick out of blasting Stars and Stripes Forever on the stereo. He would turn the volume up so high that the living room would tremble and you could swear the Thunderbirds were flying directly overhead. I’m sure the neighbors weren’t thrilled but no…

I didn’t ask for a boy’s bike, but it became my best friend in Texas Aging is fun, isn’t it? Half the time you’re searching for words in your thesaurus and the rest of the time you’re trying to discern which was truth or fiction in your mind. My habit…

Your words and action really do matter. — Let’s be honest here. Living on Planet Earth these days is no piece of cake. Truly, it’s become increasingly difficult to find the sweetness in Life with all the anger, violence, depression, viruses, dictators, and corrupt politicians fighting for space on the newsreels. And let’s not forget the ire from…

After raising a big “stone family” for years, I took some time to reflect — One of my favorite writing tools on the planet is crystals. Some may laugh, but I believe crystals have a consciousness. They’ve inspired me, calmed me, grounded me, and I can’t imagine my life without them. I have amassed a collection of hundreds of crystals and gemstones and they’re all…

Here are five exercises to tune into your writer’s heart — Come a little closer. I have a sweet little gift for you. Now press play… That sound you hear is me blowing on my Lovetuner. It’s a silver whistle that hangs from a chain and it’s one of my newest writing tools because it opens my heart chakra and…

Longing for the sweet scent of inspiration? Take a manifesting journey through the writing rainbow. — Scroll down to listen to the meditation. Close your eyes and imagine you are sitting on a rustic, wooden bench at the edge of a beautiful garden labyrinth. The bench is made of lovely, twisted grapevines, and sitting on it makes you feel grounded and connected, like you are a…

Talking and writing about racism has been uncomfortable, but I’m owning it — When I was very young, I was taught to say “colored people” instead of “negro.” That was the polite word for the Black race, I was told. In our house, we never used that other “N” word — the hateful one — for fear of having our mouths washed out…

I have some strong feelings about snow, but I’m learning to live with it — There are large snowflakes falling as I write this, about six hours earlier than originally predicted. Rhode Island is batting down the hatches in preparation for tomorrow’s blizzard and we’re likely to get 12–18 inches of the white stuff by the end of Saturday. I’ve had a love-hate relationship with…

Color television was made for Saturday morning cartoons. Or was it the other way around? — One of the most exciting times of my life was when our family got a color television set. It was the mid-Sixties (long before computers and YouTube) and it was welcomed with giggles and squeals as we opened our hearts to our three-channel baby sitter with the “rabbit ears” antenna. …