Shya said it again. Of course it was spoken in private with no witnesses except our cat Baby, and she can’t talk. Sometimes I must admit what he says is hard to tolerate. Should I brush it off? Walk away? Stand and take it? Or do...
I have been a teacher for many years. This past year, my husband and I moved to the county of Oxfordshire inEngland, so I started looking for a new teaching position. I landed an interview with a prestigious school, and was surprised to find that...
Slowly, slowly I brush her fur. Quietly grows a contented purr. Baby’s fur grows soft and silky. Slowly, slowly I brush her fur. Each brush stroke a unique moment of intimacy. ...
“Start, then persevere until the end” is one way to approach projects. At times this can be a useful strategy. In fact for the two of us, when writing an article, the information sometimes comes fully formed like a mental download and all we need...
I teach art in a public elementary school in New York City. I recently had an experience in which listening led to transformation. One day, I was contacted by Mrs. Perez,* the mom of one of my students. She was upset and deeply concerned about what...
When looking at Baby, up close, it’s easy to see her world and our world reflected - the fan, the lights, pictures framed upon the wall. So still is she, it’s clear the world is not reflected in her thoughts, only upon the surface of...
The call came early on Sunday morning, the weekend before Christmas. It was my sister Cathy with news that my 91-year-old mom had fallen and was on the way to the hospital. One of those moments where my primal fears are activated: My mom’s life is...
I’d like to share a recent win with you because this community has a huge part in it. Recently, I won the “Curvy Fashion Dancer Big Twister 2022” at Germany’s only Curvy Model Contest. Here’s how it came about. Last year on a job, I met a...
When I entered the room, Ariel was standing there cradling Baby. It had been a while since Baby had let us cuddle her that way. Stepping forward, Ariel poured our cat into my arms, a boneless furry puddle. Paws tilted skyward, eyes closed in delight,...
Most of us have been taught to go after the things we want. We’ve been trained to chase our dreams, go for the gold, to pursue happiness. We’ve learned to compete, to achieve, to produce. But very few of us are skilled at relaxing and...