I steeled myself enough to peek over the edge of the covers. Audrey was staring back at me. Continue reading →
Posts Tagged: proactive
15
May 12
My Conversation With Audrey Hepburn
4
May 12
On Enjoying the Ride
Imagine how sweet this journey would be if we quit second-guessing every one of our decisions. What if we reveled in the things that went well for longer than we stewed over the things that went wrong. Continue reading →
1
May 12
A Tale of Manifesting
“Mom, didn’t you say you were going to take us to a play about Camelot?” Continue reading →
16
Mar 12
That’s Not My Journey
We may walk hand in hand for a time, or we may know each other only briefly.
We’ll share many of the same turns and detours.
We’ll marvel at the beauty found in the connection we share.
I may pull your rolling red Samsonite for a stretch, and you might offer to carry my fraying black backpack.
I will empathize and address your concerns with compassion. I will hand you tissues when you cry and pour the wine while you laugh so hard you can’t hold your glass.
I will listen while you detail the reasons for your choices. We’ll both smile and nod when we realize we’ve made similar mistakes.
We’ll learn lessons from each other that we wouldn’t be able to learn from another.
I’ll be the first to pat you on the back. Though I instinctively brush off your kind words, I’ll try to remember to be gracious.
Neither of us may know where we are going, but I will not follow you.
That’s not my journey.
6
Mar 12
Listening To My Body*
I walked out of the doctor’s office and ran across the street to the drug store where everyone knew me by name. I was out of Pepcid. I had a box in the bathroom, two in the kitchen cupboard, one in the office desk, and one under the car seat, but the box in my purse was empty. Continue reading →
29
Feb 12
Asking vs. Imposing
I could have backpacked in Europe for three weeks after I graduated from college.
I didn’t.
My brother did.
My brother backpacked and made memories. He ended one phase of his life with a grand adventure.
He asked mom if he could borrow the money to make the trip. She said, “Of course you can!”
I didn’t.
Oh, I could have… but I thought asking would be an imposition.
Now I know that asking isn’t an imposition when you ask those who care about you.
__________
I wrote a post for the Stratejoy Essay Contest.
I’m asking for your vote.
If you have the time and the inclination, Jen, Will and I would greatly appreciate your vote.
Love,
Jesse
24
Feb 12
On White Knuckles and Comfort Levels
A semi hauling gasoline was in front, another semi was behind, and we were crawling along a snow-packed two-lane road under heavy cloud cover and falling snow. Continue reading →
21
Feb 12
On Determination and the Power in Words
Sitting on the cold pew, with the stiff lace collar scratching the tender skin of her neck, she glanced sideways to see them reading those black books. She assumed there must be power in the words since they gathered together every Sunday to read from the same book. Continue reading →
3
Feb 12
They Said
They said, “How bad can it be? He doesn’t beat you. He doesn’t gamble. He isn’t gone every weekend. You have a nice home. How bad can it be?”
They said, “You know, it’s not easy being a single mom. There will be lonely nights. It’s a lot to handle by yourself. Are you sure this is what you want?”
She said, “I don’t want to hear your reasons for leaving him. I think he’s wonderful.”
He said, “I thought you were the perfect couple. You looked like you were happy. Wasn’t he making enough money for you?”
And when I started this blog, they said, “You shouldn’t dwell on all this negative stuff. It just isn’t healthy for you or the kids. Leave all this toxic stuff behind you.”
…
After I’d been writing for over two years, and the kids and I had clearly grown and worked through a laundry list of issues, they said, “Well, where are you going to go with this now? You’ve survived. You’re thriving, even. You’ve clearly come out the other side and you’ve made great progress. Why are you still writing about surviving narcissism?”
__________
This morning I received an email. She said, “I saw the comment that came from another corner of the world. I see how many there are. I see how they all wonder if they might be crazy. I see how this impacts children. I see how this might help. I get it now.”
I knew she would.
24
Jan 12
You Can’t See Me Until I Do
There is an undercurrent of truth seekers in the river of life. Continue reading →
