My relationship with the outdoors has been an insecure one. I grew up in an urban area where we ran around on sidewalks, sat on concrete, and seldom saw grass. Being in nature was foreign to me until I met my wife. Spending time in her surroundings meant I took on new experiences. I went ...

Over breakfast one Friday morning, a friend and I discussed our children’s immediate need to apologize. While I love a genuine apology, everything I say does not require an “I’m sorry.” Rather than rushing to ask for forgiveness, why not see things through gratitude’s lens? Looking at the world with an honest, grateful heart will ...

Dear God, We seriously need to talk. For months, I had no words for my feelings. I’ve sat in stillness for hours, embracing your presence and simply listening. There is comfort in silence, or at least there can be. I think it’s time I put words to my struggles, to my pain. Are you ready ...

Have you ever wondered how you got to this point in your life? What events or decisions brought me here? I sure have, more times than I care to admit. No matter how hard I tried, nothing seemed to change. Learning to change the thought process is the first significant step. We all want to ...

I was born 11 weeks early and had bleeding on the left side of my brain. They diagnosed me with Cerebral Palsy at six months old.  I am grateful for my teachers, parents, family, friends, and other loved ones who have helped me become the person I am today. A large part of growing up ...

While brainstorming ideas for this week’s article, I thought about current events in our country.  They are hard to miss. It seems that COVID-19 was a mere appetizer in a year of national upheaval and unrest. Of course, as I write this, it is Election Day. But what is there to say about it? The ...

School may be starting, but in my neck of the woods, the weather can still be hot and humid. The air hangs heavy with moisture making the ridges surround my house hazy. I sigh. This weather was fun for a while, but now that we are getting back to some semblance of routine, I am ...

To you we owe Our freedom Gratitude And praise   Small steps Defiant stance Made so we Could belong   To you we owe Our opportunities Our voices Our legacy   Persecuted for petty crimes Inaudible cries Noosed up Whooped, sold off   You held on Carried strong So we could be born And we can ...

Life can he hard, messy, draining, and weight crushing. Sometimes it feels like you’ve been hit by a bus. Bruised and tired, you sometimes get angry and ask yourself why is this happening to me? I find that even on my hardest of days, if I can change my attitude to one of gratefulness, I ...