Brave Heart, Brave Soul. She who is brave is free.

  “Aging is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been,“ ~ David Bowie There’s no denying it. I’m getting older. I have wrinkles, creases around my face and stiff joints. Oh, and what about the bruises I can’t remember happening. Or that limp when I get up. And yes, I absolutely make lists for my lists. I forget names, dates, times and places. Not to mention where I’ve left my phone these days. Let’s face it, my memory isn’t as detailed as it used to be. My idea of a fun weekend is a night at home, on the couch, with the hubby and our dogs binge-watching this, that and the other. And while I’d like to say the gray in my hair is fashion forward. It’s not. Wisdom is negotiable. Age is not.    Mostly, I’m just thankful for today. Bruises, scars, hiccups and all. I think most of us in our 40s and above feel the same. We’ve got a bit of experience under our belts at this point. All those life lessons that scratched and scraped us up m...

“Do you have the courage to bring forth this work? The treasures that are hidden inside you are hoping you will say YES.” ~Elizabeth Gilbert Did you daydream as a child? Of course, you did. We all do. Do you remember what they were? Or how they made you feel? As children we think we’re invincible really. I know I did when I was a little girl. When we’re kids, we can scale mountains with one leap or take to the skies in a single bound. And when you’re little the doors between daydreams and reality aren’t always as well defined as they become when we’re adults. Either door we chose, as children or adults, whatever dreams we follow or chase, eventually build our character and form our caliber. Dreams are funny this way, aren’t they? They can make us feel ten feet tall or smaller than a flea, in a circus and maybe just as useless too. Our dreams have the ability to shape or shatter us. Dreams can be misleading too but the truth is without them hope dies. The reality is drea...

“Behind her smile, there is a story you would never understand.” ~ Unknown I’ll be writing my own fairytale today…Yes you heard me correctly. For years I’ve been writing stories. Piecing each one together through old familiar tales. Today however, the tides have changed. And I think it’s time I tell my fairytale. In my own words, unapologetically.  First of all any good southern fairytale begins like this…. Y'all ain't gonna believe this ….And the truth is you might not, but that’s not my job. The task before me as a writer is simply to tell the story. Your position as a reader is to listen and then to decide which path you’ll take once I’ve finished my tale.  So shall we take take this leap together then? Are you ready? Are you sure? Alright. Close your eyes. Hold tight.  Here we go…. I was raised by Southern standards. Say what you will, horse feather or not, growing up southern has a charm all its own. Now the truth is I’m a bit old fas...

“Happiness is not a checklist. A dream job, a fast car, a good home, even love, mean nothing at all if you have not yet found a way to feel full and content in your one mind and heart.” ~ Beau Taplin Let me first begin with this...  I usually don’t have a plan most of the time. My imagination, however, always has one. Combine this with my old pal weirdness and most days I’m off and running. See, I’m one of those old souls. I’m a little odd honestly but I’ve never minded the label. Life’s been tough. I won’t deny it. And yet somehow, I still carry a happy heart in spite of the struggle. I’m most definitely an only child, there’s no way around that. My imagination and curiosity can attest to this. I’ve never been lonely though. As for my life experiences? Well each one's fashioned me into the writer I am today. I’m happy I’m me. And I wouldn’t want it any other way.  Turning 45 has me calling my childhood to mind. It seems so long ago some days. Others it f...

“You can’t be sure of most things in this world, but you can be sure of the love that lies between a mother and daughter.” ~ A Parent’s Humor   The truth is, there’s not another woman alive that can take my mama’s place. It’s just the way it is. Mama’s kind, gentle, loving and a beautiful, good and lovely soul. She’s not perfect, but then none of us are. I’ll tell you what I know. She’s spent her life encouraging my dreams of writing. Mama’s fostered a sense of humor and self-esteem inside my heart by inspiring my imagination and motivating my creativity. She's protected me. Sometimes at her own expense too. When the vultures have come, she’s fought them back. When clowns have appeared with buckets full of water looking to drown my voice, she's been my life boat. Even when beastly mobs descended out of the darkness seeking to extinguish the light within her baby girl, she never  wa vered.  Mama always knew how to shelter me from the storms, but nev...