about air
I’m thinking of two metaphors today about air. Vacuum storage bags and balloons. When I’ve used vacuum storage bags, a queen sized comforter suddenly fits compact on a shelf taking up less space than a shoe box. The air is magically vacuumed out (not really magically – it’s a vacuum) and all that is left…
What Blooms After a Fallow Season?
It’s been six months since I began the fallow season for Sprouts. Fallow: left unsown for a time to restore fertility, or to rest so that new growth can take root. As the itch to return to writing grew, a dear friend reached out of the blue to thank me for a post from last…
The Power of a Beginner’s Mind (Or How Knowing Everything Might Be Holding You Back)
(This is based on a speech I gave at Pelham Toastmasters on February 5, 2025.) Let’s be honest: Most of us think we’re pretty smart. We’ve got years of experience, a collection of hard-earned wisdom, and a drawer full of metaphorical “expert” badges. But what if I told you that everything you know might actually be keeping you…
Picture Books
I love children’s picture books. I love that words and art work together to create a setting for sharing and exploring a story. I love the challenge of the author to write something thoughtful in 500-1000 words – usually 32 pages. Even more inspiring is a book that has no words – that leaves the…
Silence
Just a month ago, I visited Caesar’s Head State Park in South Carolina. Today this region holds thousands of lives that have been disrupted, destroyed, forever altered. Sometimes silence is better than words.
