Savouring the joy in our world through words, wanderings, and a writing community.
Words offers you lyric essays and poetry that explores the sacred ordinary, often overlooked moments, and the beauty of life with its magic and its potholes. Hopefully more magic than potholes.
I received an email recently from a former student of mine who graduated four years ago. Her words were overflowing with gratitude for the life changes she has made, both professionally and personally, due to words, she said, I’d spoken in lecture. I remember Jessie of course, but I didn’t remember the words until she…
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I am oh so grateful for thoughtful gestures and gentle autumn days. Early morning brought plenty of time for slow reflection. The supermoon was still out shining her light brightly, while on the opposite end of the horizon the sun painted hues upon the sky that coordinated with gently changing autumn leaves. Chrysanthemums and pumpkins…
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There’s a fun six question challenge going around the blogosphere. And my friend Vicki tagged me in her post today and inspired me to jump on this fun bandwagon. Not only do we get to examine these questions introspectively, but it also builds community and allows us to get to know each other. I’m in!…
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Ah August, that in between month. The month full of contradictions and juxtapositions. August heralds a close to outdoor summer freedom and the beginning of the indoor ‘ber’ months. It is the time when we check our Summer Bucket Lists and feel the pressure to squeeze out just a few more carefree flip flop days.…
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I decided to forego the curved pathways that snake their way towards the lighthouse at Peggy’s Cove, and walked the giant granite rocks carved by the ocean over hundreds of years, into smooth gently ambling shapes. The Atlantic air was fresh and warm, not cold and blustery as would be expected in winter. Stratus clouds…
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When I first read about the book Surviving Sue by Dr. Vicki Atkinson (2023) I felt some trepidation. The storyline piqued my interest, but would the content be too heavy? The story is Vicki’s, the daughter of a mother full of demons and dispositions toward alcoholism, depression, anxiety, and Munchausen’s, who suffered from Alzheimer’s later…
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What are the 5 Rs you ask?, first let me tell you a bit of where this inspiration came from. In Niagara Falls you’ll find a famous tourist attraction, The Niagara Floral Clock. It is said to have been photographed as often as The Falls itself. I haven’t taken a picture every time I’ve been…
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When my kids were little they belonged to a summer reading club at the local library. One of the books gifted them through the program sponsored by TD Bank was a book called When Jeremiah Found Mrs. Ming. In the story, Jeremiah repeatedly tells Mrs. Ming he has nothing to do, and Mrs. Ming always…
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A couple of days ago I posted about the turquoise house. There’s so much that I could have said about it and one of the things that stood out for me is how our fear of rejection prevents us from being ourselves. Many of us humans struggle with acceptance, the need for approval. We’re conditioned…
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The sun was high in the sky. The air felt light. A goldilocks day, not too hot and not too cold. The perfect day to toss on a comfortable cotton dress and a pair of flip flops, (my favourite even at my age) and go for a nice long afternoon walk. As I walked with…
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It’s part of the human condition isn’t it, the drive to be happy. We push and pull, struggle and strive on the seesaw between joy and suffering, desperately holding on to the happiness side more ardently. Not realizing that the pendulum must tick between the two, for us to become whole in joy. We don’t…
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This past week has been filled with vivid conversations and lots of flowers. I received flowers from my daughter for watching their puppy while they moved, flowers from a friend for whom I had done a small favour, and I visited a tulip farm all in the same week! Oh what joy to have so…
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A friend of mine was recently let go from her high profile corporate job that she had invested much of her life in. I’ll call her Kim. I had worked with Kim closely until I was 47, when I decided to let go of my fabulous corporate career and all that comes with it. I…
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By now you’ve heard plenty about the solar eclipse that darkened a narrow band of North America last Monday, April 8th. Here in Niagara, we were in the path of totality and I have been wanting to share this joyful moment with you all week. Although we were well prepared, having purchased our eclipse glasses…
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If you celebrate Easter, I wish you a wonderful and happy Easter. And this quote is a good reminder of why we celebrate Easter. The very first Easter taught us this: that life never ends and love never dies. Kate McGahan And if you don’t celebrate Easter, I’m sure you find that the quote still…
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It has been a few years since I’ve been in Florence, but the memories are as fresh as my morning coffee, that is full of possiblities. Having just arrived the night before, I walked with my best friend along the narrow streets to a cafe in Florence. Yes, that Florence! The one in Italy that…
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It has been a difficult week to say the least and although I try to focus on sharing joyful moments here, because the world has enough pain and suffering in it, an occasional slide down the mountain is to be expected, before we can continue to climb again. Plus it keeps things real. And is…
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I stepped out of the port terminal in Miami ready to hail a cab. Signs pointed me in the direction of the taxi stand and as I approached, an older man standing outside his cab waved to me. I nodded in agreement as I walked around to meet him, navigating the people control barriers. As…
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