I love reading books. Why? The turn of the page, the sentence that resonates, or the lingering feeling that you remember even after you’ve finished reading a book almost two days ago. It’s a place where you can consume yourself with a vast array of emotions, resounding sadness and raucous laughter, sparkled with nuances of disappointment, anger, contentment, and most importantly, escape. Once I’ve experienced a good book, I am eager to converse about it. This is what I am [...]
November 2011
Two days ago I read about an Afghan woman who, at age nineteen, was raped by her cousin’s husband. Soon she found herself experiencing morning sickness and carrying her rapist’s child. Today, she sits in an Afghan prison with her child, condemned for committing “adultery” even though she tried to resist her assailant’s attack. She has two choices: to spend the entirety of the twelve year term in prison or, if she wants to escape prison time, she must marry [...]
The words “Chai Tea Latte” roll off my tongue as if I am calling my daughter’s name. Before I even have a chance to utter a syllable, the Starbucks barista knows my order and gives me a smile as I wait by the counter to be handed my liquid goodness. On Friday, I pondered my recent passion for tea. For many years, I was a cereal and milk kind of girl. I never needed a cup of chai to provide [...]
“Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world. ” John Milton On Sunday morning, the desert sky hid from me. The day spoke of little light, tears streaming down the sidewalk, and the taste of gritty sand in my mouth. I made a decision to commit to my morning run despite the overcast and pensive hover of the clouds. Rain is a novelty in [...]
On Tuesday night this week I sunk under my covers in our bed. As restless as I am during the day, moving from one task to the next, I fall asleep with little preparation. I may read for a few minutes or surf on the computer right before bed. Once my head grazes the pillow, I am fast asleep. The night usually brings a deep and restful slumber unless the phone rings or my daughter decides to wake me for [...]
The pink and white princess bike sits against the grey backdrop in the garage. The air looks low in the front tire and the pretty streamers from the bike handles have withered away. Two days ago, my daughter finally took notice of her bike, one that she’s had since she was 4. She asked, “Momma, can we go bike riding?” My answer spilled without hesitation. “No, not today. Maybe later.” I was surprised by her question. Her relationship with her [...]
