“You are getting very sleepy…” A long chain holding a pendulum swings back and fourth. Someone speaks in slow, monotone sentences, inducing a “coma-esque” state in the person (subject) that sits watching and listening. The subject is unaware of the present moment, but can go back in time and recover memories that were either stuffed , were […]
We all build walls. Even the politicians talk about building walls. We think that they will protect us. But do they? Janie had built some pretty impressive walls. I did not know if I could scale the walls that she had erected. She was so hidden away. The next time that I met her was in […]
The first time that I saw Janie, she sat as far into the corner as she could. She was pleasant and silent. If asked a question, she was able to respond in three words or less. It was impressive. I was facilitating an expressive/creative writing class at the county jail. It was the smallest class […]
The author, psychologist and theologian, John Bradshaw says that the first three steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) restore order between me and God. The second set of steps restore order within me, the third set of steps restore order between me and my family and the final three steps restore order between me and the world. This perspective made […]
I became a mother on Mother’s day, twenty-seven years ago. My son came into this world at eight and one half pounds, twenty-one inches long. Little did I know or understand the weight of a new life. But, from those early days, when I went to his crib to be sure that he was still breathing till the time that I […]
Early in my first pregnancy, it seemed that everyone was talking about babies. And there were pregnant women everywhere…all of the sudden. Or at least, that was my perception. Pregnancy is scary and exciting. There is so much joy involved that it spills over and people want to rub your belly and tell you about […]
A young woman from my church sent me a text message, asking questions about addiction. I don’t really remember what her questions were. I just remember that when I responded to one question, I did so with sarcasm that only those who are in my situation, might pick up on….at least through texting. I wasn’t thinking about […]
My dad didn’t talk much about his father’s violent side. He didn’t have to talk about it for me to know. He wore the abuse like a deep cut, whose efforts to heal had worked long and hard to compensate, like growing tissue that is thick and tough in an effort to hide […]
A young woman recently called the office, concerned about her new horse. “Is this your first horse?” I asked. “Yes.” She said. “What kind of horse is she?” I asked. “Oh, she’s a thoroughbred.” She said. Her voice was beaming. Thoroughbreds are strikingly beautiful animals. I love the stories of a come-from-behind horse who isn’t expected to […]