You Never Know When a Limousine Will Show Up
You’ll never guess where I am. Just a minute ago, I arrived here by limousine to a full day makeover. But it’s not for me; I’m just accompanying the winner of an extreme makeover contest in our town. A few months ago, I wrote a little essay about a local mom who inspires me. The […]
The Best Definition of Courage
My daughter and I were talking about taking her training wheels off and learning to ride a bike. She became very quiet and said, “You know, Mom, little hills mean little boo-boos. And big hills mean big boo-boos.” I said, “So I guess you want to avoid the big hills on your bike.” She paused […]
2 Lessons from an Italian Mama in 100 Words or Less
1. The mistake people make with their sauce is not letting it simmer long enough. No rush here with my sauce or my life. 2. As I listed ingredients learned from my first Italian cooking lesson, my Italian Mama neighbor leaned over my shoulder and said: “Don’t forget the most important ingredient.” She paused, closed […]
Bring on the Whimsy
This morning, I saw my neighbor’s dog, Murphy, walking in a bright yellow doggie raincoat. He stood up on his back paws and greeted me, looking more human than canine. Then, I saw a little girl carrying an umbrella shaped like a dragon over her head . Huge pointing scales, triangular and menacing, slithered down […]
A Tool to Measure Success
Somebody asked me recently what my professional goals are. I used to be incredibly ambitious. Now, not so much. Part of the reason is that, as I age, I realize the things I was ambitious for–money, prestige, fame–don’t retain the same shimmer after too long. The problem with ambition is that it keeps my focus […]
When it Looks Like Chaos and Abandonment
My sassiest daughter was playing school with her big sister this morning before church. Apparently, they’d set up a whole imaginary classroom with imaginary students. All of sudden, the little one starts stomping around with her hands on her hips. “I can’t do imaginary anymore!” she yelled. I laughed out loud. Watching her with her […]
Seeing a Newborn Foal
Last night, I heard a rumor that newborn foals were in the campus barn. Campus barn? Where was that? “Honey! Baby horses at some barn! Let’s go.” He got in the minivan without even thinking this might be a strange activity so close to bedtime. But if we are going to live with flair, we […]
A Strange Way to Refresh Yourself
I’m used to thinking of personal refreshment in terms of spa days and vacations. Today, I remembered a bit of wisdom that reoriented my thinking. The flair moment came in the form of sweaty boys and mulch. On my drive downtown this morning, I saw a group of young men spreading mulch in the flowerbeds […]
The Best Verb to Keep in Your Notebook
Great living is a lot like great cooking. You want to take the ingredients of the day and create 5 star masterpieces. You want to arrange what’s given to you (like on Iron Chef), and make something so fantastic that you close your eyes and sigh (like the judges) when you think about it. I’m […]
What to Offer a Mean Person
Something spiritual happened in the drive-thru as I was paying the cashier today. Everybody inside the place was scowling and sulking around. They seemed so angry and so inconvenienced by my presence at the little sliding window. These people need some flair, I thought. I decided to ask God for help. Those people needed a […]