In the most unlikely place, at the base of my outdoor staircase along the paved driveway, was this beautiful flower. It was growing in a tiny spec of earth between wood and pavement. It found the will to grow and be.  Good Morning Sue!

A couple of days later on my morning walk, I quickly looked for the flower. The flower blossom was gone.  The little plant was still there, but the blossom had finished and another was on the rise.  My continued thought was I’m glad I captured the photo when I did.  In life, beauty does not last forever.

I started watching the videos on a super cold night last winter. Then I began to follow the Instagram page. Now I am totally following the storyline of what is going on in the Chef’s world. You might be asking why I am doing this. Doesn’t this seem child-like?
This is in no way child’s play. The Chef is a character, which has the ability to change the world for the better.

In grade 6, my teacher Miss Chess used a green pen. She found red was too bold and offensive. She would do her corrections in a soft green ink. I liked that a lot. It was soothing for a person like me, who made a tremendous amount of spelling errors. It’s easier to look at a paper filled with green ink corrections than redly inked marks. After a great year of learning with Miss Chess, I decided green ink was the way to go when I played school with my friends. Now as a university instructor, I still correct in green ink and pencil.

Isn’t acceptance the first step of healing? I accept the fact that I am in love with ice cream. There, I said it. I admit this love in published print. Here is something I will also admit, I cannot control myself when I’m eating ice cream. The soft, sweet, coolness sliding down my…….

All my emotions, secrets, and deepest thoughts and passions are expressed in my journals. All the times I wanted to get my furious anger out, I wrote it down. All the times I wanted to scream and cry and tear the world apart, I wrote it down. All the times I cheered from unbridled joy, I wrote it down. I wrote my heart out on paper. If my journal wasn’t enough, I climbed to the top of a mountain and screamed my lungs out! Then… I wrote that down, too!

There’s something special about resting on a bed with a book upon my lap and holding it in my hands. Turning the pages feels like a mini accomplishment. It also has a calming presence having a book between you and the rest of the world. Something similar to being protected by a literary shield.

Naturally, I’m already on a slower speed than the rest of the world. In truth, this annoys people who know me very well. I have a tendency to get lost in the moments. I putter, think, wait, watch, listen, contemplate, and daydream, a lot. You remember, the kid the teacher always told to stop daydreaming. As a student, I preferred to sit next to the classroom window. Frequently, I gazed outward, wondering, thinking, pondering, and then alerted to stop daydreaming. I wasn’t daydreaming, I was creating!  Pink Floyd The Wall, “Hey! Teachers! Leave them kids alone!

I think the word “privacy” has lost its value.  It doesn’t seem to have much use these digital days.  Other words like floppy disk, icebox, and yuppie seem to have faded with time also.  If you don’t know what these words mean, it’s a clear indication I have fallen even deeper into the generation gap!

Now that I am older, I have a renewed appreciation for life. I am questioning the perspectives of more senior people. Some of my questions are, how did I get here so fast, what needs to be done, will I have any regrets, and what is most important now?  Usually, I ask these questions to my greatest mentor. My mother Noonie. These are the questions I pose to her when we are in the middle of Lake Monroe in our red canoe. At least once a year we venture off into our canoe. We paddle to the middle of the lake and I ask divine questions, get her perspective, and listen intently.

In Part Five, we learn about Michelle Asterino who is a tremendous real estate agent in Scottsdale Arizona, Sharon Bishin who is the best person to speak to if you’re looking for work, and Dr. Perri Young who explains her profession with brilliant love and care. Highlighted are interesting challenges, insights, and passions each women share. I hope you enjoy this final feature of the 2019 Spring Series.  I truly enjoyed creating it for you!

Published! Letter to the Editor in The Suburban Newspaper.
— Bottom line, Miss Macdonald was the most fantastic, innovative, friendly, wonderful, amazing, informative teacher. And the fact that she wore a big catholic cross around her neck each day she taught us, made no fricken difference to anyone in the classroom. So, I really don’t know what the big deal is now! Seriously 45 years later!! Bill 21 is a waste of everyone’s time and money!

I remember screaming this cheer for everyone’s name and our team name. It was so exciting and invigorating. You can adapt this cheer with anyone’s name, team name, or anything providing it’s long enough. If the first name is short, add the last name or a nickname always works.  EVERYTHING DESERVES A CHEER!

In Part Four, we learn about Joy Shiroky Lawee and her beautiful emotional job, Lucy Verebes Shapiro who makes moving tres easy, and Nathalie Kaspy-Shtern who’s making DoughNats a must eat! Highlighted are interesting challenges, insights, and passions each women share. I hope you enjoy this series as much as I’ve had creating it.

In the Spring Series – Do What Your Love & Love What You Do – Part Three, we learn about an Entrepreneur who makes healthy organic popsicles, an outstanding Math Magician, and an incredibly devoted Psychotherapist. Highlighted are interesting challenges, insights, and passions each women share. I hope you enjoy this series as much as I’ve had creating it.