Saturday's 40 mph winds had me worried about my newly planted seeds. But gardens teach us this: we can't know which seeds will thrive, go dormant, or blow away. We plant anyway, because the potential for future joy is worth the calculated risk.
I Became Cinderella to Teach Fairy Tales—My Sophomores Taught Me to Believe in Happy Endings Again
Armed with a British accent and blue gown, I convinced sixteen-year-olds I was Cinderella from Far Far Away. They taught me about cell phones while proving fairy tales aren't just for children. Sometimes you have to suspend reality to remember that happy endings are still possible.
Cherry Blossoms Made Me Forget Statistics—And Finally Write Charming a Love Poem
My March Madness bracket failed, but beneath thousands of cherry blossoms at D.C.'s Tidal Basin, I forgot all my calculations. For one afternoon with Charming, no statistics mattered. High School Laura Joy would've written love poems by month one. Eight years later, adult me finally did.
Teaching Fairy Tales After Brussels: Why Tomorrow’s Heroes Are in My Classroom
After the ISIS attack in Brussels, I looked at my students writing fairy tales about villains and heroes. I don't understand terrorism, but I know the heroes who will save us are sitting in my classroom right now.
What I’d Tell My Nineteen-Year-Old Self About Prince Charming
If I could go back, I'd tell teenage me: "You're going to date that guy someday." Here's what choices, integrity, and waiting thirteen years taught me about being worthy of real love.
Four Deaths in Four Days: What My Students Taught Me About Living
When death surrounded me—a former student, a country star, my teacher, a First Lady—I had to face the question: What are we really staying alive for?
The Magnolias Bloomed Early, and So Did My Temper
Some buds emerge before their time, risking frost. During our first real argument, my carefully hidden temper surfaced in what felt like an hourglass minute. I waited for Charming to leave. Instead, he asked how we could disagree better next time. Grace, it seems, comes in unexpected moments.
When a Colleague Called Me “Wildly Optimistic”: Finding Myself in Apple Freewrites
At our teacher meeting, everyone wrote adjectives on apples for colleagues. When someone called me 'wildly optimistic,' I realized something had changed in my fifty weeks of writing. I wasn't always this hopeful.
Learning to Ski at 34: When Falling Becomes Part of the Lesson
I've hated snow since my brother's sled knocked me over at age three. But Charming gave me ski lessons for Valentine's Day, and somewhere between learning proper layers and letting him help me up, I discovered that persistence looks different when you're not alone on the mountain.
The Independence Ring I Bought and the Love Pendant He Gave Me
I bought my first ring as a single woman to celebrate my freedom. A year later, Charming surprised me with a matching pendant. Here's what jewelry taught me about waiting for the right combination.
Writer's Growth 