Mixed Messages

Words are powerful. And sometimes tricky. And often times, they fail me, both in speech and in writing. I’m a dramatic girl, emotional, reactive, volatile. Sometimes I say things I shouldn’t; sometimes I write things I wish I hadn’t. When I was employed as the Executive Director of a beloved nonprofit, I once received a […]

All Kinds of Mothers

Purple Flowers

Mother’s Day is such a funny little celebration. Overpriced flowers, candies, brunches, matching kid outfits — all in honor of the one who birthed us. It’s a commonality we children carry… like birth, like death, there are inevitable things we share in the connectedness of our existence. Each of us has a mother. Perhaps we […]

A Homecoming

Ever since we moved to Mississippi in July, I’ve been floundering through my days, trying to make my way. I’ve been detached, untethered, a kite bouncing around in the wind, the child at the other end distracted and uninterested. This weekend, that changed. It was the Cotton District Arts Festival and Super Bulldog Weekend in […]

The Gift of Letting Go

When I write fiction, I write about relationships. Siblings, spouses, children, parents, friends. Our lives are shaped and molded by our relationships. And sometimes they can be tricky. So, I write about them to help illuminate what’s important, what’s universal, what we all struggle with, what we all sink into and find comfort in — […]

2012

2012. I like the sound of it. 2011 was a year of Big Changes. This one is going to be a year of Grand Adventures. I love the possibilities. We wrapped up the Old Year in high gear. Lots of visits with wonderful new friends and treasured old friends. Hugs for grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles. […]

The Spaces In Between

Sunset at the Beach

The lovely, spiritual, intuitive Amy Oscar is hosting a December Writing Circle. Every day (give or take a few), she is presenting participants with writing prompts to do with as we please. We can use them, ignore them, choose to eat Oreos instead. I love that kind of freedom. Today’s prompt, however spoke volumes to […]

Bridges and Abs

Enjoyed a beautiful drive back from Indiana yesterday. Ten hours of sunshine and a lovely sunset on the Natchez Trace Parkway. Oh, and I missed a deer by about 2 feet at 60 miles an hour, but that’s another story altogether… It was good to be with family. Good to be with friends. I was […]

One Step Forward…

Indianapolis Monumental Marathon, Mile 12

Two steps back. That’s how a journey often works, huh? At least in my experience that’s how the Willis Tribe rolls. We’re operating at a 50% happiness level right now. Chris is loving his new gig. He’s relishing the opportunity to pontificate, to think of intriguing questions and then to find the answers. He’s in […]

Settling In

Photographs and Lamp

We are officially unpacked. Well, we’ve at least unpacked all of the boxes we intend to unpack. The rest, we’ve moved into the attic for long-term storage. Pictures are hung, dishes washed and put away, walls are painted, we welcomed our first dinner guests last night. I am beyond grateful to have instantly met a […]

Transition

Car Pulling Uhaul

When I was little, I used to get “The Feeling.” (No, not THAT feeling, Dirty Minds — that one came later.) I was probably around George’s age when I would occasionally look around and think, “I’m not supposed to be here.” It wasn’t just an out-of-sorts kind of feeling — it was an all-out I’m-living-an-altered-existence-and-these-aren’t-my-people […]