A few years ago, we replaced the tiny TV in the den with something bigger. I then decided to move the tiny TV to the sewing room. I don’t actually see much of the screen, but it keeps me company when I sew.  My favorite show is the one where all of the couples are very nice, recycle materials, they…

When I was teenager, one of best friends was Greek.  I learned a fair amount about their culture from her family.  Almost every Saturday we would make plans to go shopping but we both had to do chores first.   My family was bigger, so I had more help and completed my tasks first, and I would usually go to her…

When I was little, the Sears Wish Book would arrive weeks before Christmas.  These books had things I had never seen before and things my friends never owned. Ever the dreamer, I would dog ear the pages of things I really wanted and make notes on how much they cost. The sale price was a very important factor in whether…

Liberty begins with knowing that you have choices. In the late 1970’s, Ethel Garrett was my mentor. She was trained by the Salvation Army to deliver sermons. I needed help with public speaking, so Ethel and I  arranged a trade.  She would give me feedback on my speeches and  I would help her write goals for the participants in the…

It sounds familiar right?  These are the last five words of the Pledge of Allegiance. We used to say them every day at the beginning of school. I am reminded of these words at this time of year because we are starting the patriotic ‘season:’ Memorial Day, Flag Day, the 4th of July, and Labor Day.  These days remind us…

This past weekend, I planted flowers and I actually had help. My daughter provided me with two kinds of assistance: she helped get the plants in the soil, and she kept me company.  It reminded me of when I helped my grandmother. She had arthritis in her knees, so she handed me the flowers, and I would dig wherever she…

At our Community Champions event, one of our donors, Kathleen Bohrer, visited the Job Fair. Inspired by the stories told that day, she decided to volunteer for us. As a recently retired nurse, mother of three, and a grandmother of three, she knows all about caring. Barbara Ballard, who handles our volunteers, connected her to our Yellow Springs supportive employment…

Anyone who has read a good book, heard a great sermon, or even remembers a fun jingle or song, knows the power of words. Many sayings have been penned to summarize what words can mean and which words we should ignore; for instance, we all know, “sticks and stones will break by bones but names will never hurt me.” Today…

When I was growing up, the Serenity Prayer was on the wall of my grandmother’s dining room, done in very careful embroidery by my Aunt Margaret. The prayer makes a specific ask: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” This…

Change is not comfortable. This became clearest to me when I decided to get off the couch and run a 5k, which is about three miles. I could barely go one block without a red face and heavy breathing. You need to move in new ways, think new thoughts, and talk differently.  The power of thinking is enormous. For instance,…