I figured I should get my hair cut pretty short so that it would be wash-and-go for my trip to Australia. I had a coupon for a nearby hair salon and walked over this morning to get my unruly hair tidied for the journey. Women thrilled with the hair they were granted at birth...
On December 30 Michael Dahl posed two questions in the title of his blog post on Speak for We: “Does blogging matter? Does it create change?” He was responding to the question David Henderson posed to himself that same day: “Does Blogging Matter in the Social Sector?” I promised to comment on Michael’s post...
Years as a country doctor, in Alabama and in B.C.’s central interior, gave Sterling Haynes insight into the gritty reality of his women patients. He also fathered four strong, independent, amazing daughters—who are also a reflection of his equally strong, independent, and amazing wife, Jessie. When he sent me this poem, he wrote: “Until...
On July 5th in a Melbourne hospital, a miracle slipped into the world. I know that’s true because one of her moms called me moments later to tell me I was officially “Tutu”. That’s a Hawaiian word for grandmother and will be my nickname as this most beloved of children grows. I never experienced...
The statistics are staggering. Around the world there are millions of victims of sexual assaults, honour killings, gender-selective abortions, date rapes, female infanticide, and misogyny* in all its manifestations. I am one of the more fortunate of my gender. I live in a safe place, with a loving partner and male friends who are...
I have an almost magical belief in books. I expect to find guidance for whatever question or problem I’m wrestling with just by picking up the right book. And why not? I know I’m not the first person to go through whatever it is that’s tripping me up at any given time. While I...
My life is sailing along pretty smoothly these days so I don’t need to keep looking in certain folders on my computer, the ones labeled “Nice Words”. This hasn’t always been the case. During some lonely and unsettling times, I wasn’t sure I could justify taking up space on the planet. Those nice words...
A whistling, whooshing sound sometimes punctuates our early mornings these days. It means the wildfowl population control people are doing their job, setting off sound bombs to scare nesting geese and ducks into abandoning their nests. It’s one of the sad things about living in a city, our insistence that the previous occupants must...
“We all deserve to have fun, live large, and be ridiculed by less imaginative people existing under the erroneous assumption they get extra credit for being prudent and safe.” Patti Digh, Life Is a Verb: 37 Days to Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally I’ve spent a lot of time in my life...
Recently I had a bout of itchiness. It’s not something I’m accustomed to, particularly waking in the middle of the night wanting to scratch my skin off. I’m sure that’s what caused a weird dream about worms. They were attaching themselves to me, growing from the size of a seed to full-grown wrigglers in...
How this city woman ended up shoveling manure and birthing sheep is still a mystery to me. I have a hunch it’s one of those “nevers” I can’t seem to stop swearing to. You know what I mean. “I will NEVER…” . At any rate, back...
This video of Patrick Henry Hughes was uploaded just over four years ago. It bears re-visiting. Born without eyes and unable to walk or fully straighten his arms and legs, Patrick might have become just another sad story. His father’s fierce love and Patrick’s own determination changed the ending. Patrick showed an aptitude for...
Facebook
Twitter