We Are the Sum of Our Choices

I picked up this cup at Goodwill the other day. I didn't need any more cups. But it spoke to me. It made me pause and think about all of...

The first thing you see when you come through my front door is the island that separates the kitchen area from the living room. There are...

I have a motivational sign on my desk in my office. It sits next to my fake plant (you know why it's a fake one if you know me). There...

In a city not far from Seattle, there is a playground in a cute little park. Next to the park is a path that circles around a beautiful lake. My friend and I ran a 5K around that lake a couple of weeks ago. It was cold and damp that morning, but the rain had stopped at least. Leaves from the trees covered our path, and puddles created obstacles for us to run around or sometimes jump over. We made good time that day, enjoying the view as we ran, stopping to take pictures a

I don't have very many pictures of me in mid-flight. But this one was fun. We were exploring Seattle, taking the day to wander. After...

Sometimes I think it takes an entire lifetime to find our sense of direction. Maybe longer than that even. Left or right? Straight ahead...

They show up in random corners, between fenceposts, and in the woodpiles in our backyards. Thin, silky lines of thread spun in intricate...

I paid 79 cents for this painted rock at Goodwill the other night. My son laughed at me when I bought it. But then again, he laughs at a...

There's a snowman hanging in the corner in my living room. He's been there since Christmas... Two years ago. Every once in awhile I spot...

Fall is my favorite season. The air is crisp, the leaves are changing colors, I can wear boots and jeans... There's just something about...

It was a Wednesday night in the Smith household. Work was busy that day, productive, but busy and mentally exhausting. I had no desire to...

I try not to buy things that don't come pre-assembled. I'm just not mechanically-inclined that way (and I hate to ask for help). But...

There's a coaster on my desk that I bought at a little craft store awhile back. "Do what you love. Love what you do." It speaks to me...

Golden brown on the outside. Crisp and crunchy. Excellent covered with cheese, sour cream and bacon. Whoever invented tater tots has my...

18 years and 354 days. That's how long I had the blessing of living with this boy, having him under my roof, and knowing where he was...

I stood there waiting. And waiting... For my luggage to drop onto the carousel. I watched the people around me, waiting too. Some...

I thought I had enough time to finish my walk before the rain started. I was wrong. A mile from home, no place to go for cover. I had no...

I was out for a walk the other night and found myself pausing every few blocks to admire the clouds at sunset. Shades of pink, orange and...

One of my favorite things to do is hike through the woods. In our state or national parks, or even the little local parks near my house....

Three hours in a kayak. Before that night, I'd spent maybe 15 minutes in a kayak over the whole of my 47 years on this earth. I'd canoed...