The 70-Year Echo: A Legacy of Victory Over Death
Sometimes we go looking for one memory and end up finding something we never expected. In November 2021, I was searching for our wedding video. I wanted to relive the joy of a beginning—to remember a day filled with hope, promises, and celebration. Instead, I found a message about something far […]
Dolly, I am Still Learning
Ancora Imparo: What Dolly Parton, Family Memories, and an Irish Blessing Taught Me About Growth Seeing a flurry of social media posts about Dolly Parton recently sent me down a rabbit hole of reflection. Thankfully, Dolly is still very much alive and shining her light on the world! But the outpouring […]
The Weight of the “Sack”: Navigating Enmeshment, Accountability, and Divine Calling
In 1992, I received a letter from my grandmother that serves as a profound example of the weight generational expectations can place on a soul. She used a vivid metaphor to describe the cost of my independence: “Life is like carrying around a 10 lb. sack of potatoes. If you set it […]
Lines of Communication: Finding My Father’s Legacy in a Hollywood Story
On February 2, 2026, Belmont, North Carolina, slowed to a near standstill. Snow covered the roads, appointments were rescheduled for the safety of my clients, and suddenly I found myself with something I don’t often get—an unexpected day of rest at home with my daughter. The timing felt meaningful for another reason, […]
Where the River Runs
This short story weaves together the canvas, the crutches, and the two lives that formed the “Shepherd Way.” It is titled after the constant, spiritual movement that connects your past to your present. Where the River Runs: A Story of Two Shepherds In the quiet corners of a home in […]
Journal Notes from Room 3347: Lessons in Strength and Survival (Part 1)
There are moments in life that you don’t just remember—you carry them. They live in your nervous system. They linger in your prayers. They shape how you see the world. As I revisited my journal notes from April 15–16, 2024, I realized that what happened inside Room 3347 at CaroMont Regional […]
Moments of Grace and Angels
My daughter, Makensie, has always had such a bright, positive spirit, and I’m so grateful she’s always seen me and her dad through loving eyes. I remember her often talking about how much she loved seeing me wear heels to church or that suit-and-heel power combination to work. While I’ve embraced […]
The Tapestry of 2025: A Year of Grit, Grace, and God-Wink
Looking back at my camera roll from New Year’s Day 2025, I see a photo that still catches my breath. It’s my mother’s hand, signing the papers to transfer my dad to a long-term care facility. It was the start of eight months of “out-of-pocket” reality—the kind of “highly needed care” that […]
Belmont Jamaica
Jamaica has been on my mind nonstop recently—mostly because Hurricane Melissa has been all over the news. Watching an island I love brace for impact stirred up so much inside me. I’ve survived a major storm myself—Hurricane Hugo in September of 1989, back when I lived in Belmont, North Carolina. And […]
Día de los Muertos: Say Their Name
As you can see from my previous blog posts, I have been giving considerable thought to the act of preserving shared family narratives lately. Ironically, The Day of the Dead (Día de los Muertos) is just around the corner too (November 1 and 2). This beautiful and cultural observance resonates with […]
