I've ridden the Griffon with three different men—my ex-husband, a rebound, and now Charming. Time buried the first memory but not the second. Sometimes we don't get on rollercoasters for the climb; we're seeking the thrill of the drop.
Personal Growth
Keep Your Head Down Through Barbed Wire—And Other Wisdom That Saves You
Charming's voice echoed in my head under the barbed wire at Rugged Maniac: 'Keep your head down. Your shoulders will follow.' It was my father at the golf course all over again. Sometimes the people who love us give advice we don't know we need until we're face-down in mud, grateful they cared enough to warn us.
What My Italian Grandfather’s Garden Taught Me About Love
Grandpa Rubbo grew tomatoes with the same devotion he brought to Sunday dinner prayers. Here's what I learned about family, food, and the legacy of love when I planted my first vegetable garden.
What My Herb Garden Taught Me About Planting Seeds After Divorce
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.
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.
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.
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.
How I Learned to Guard My Heart Without Building Walls
After divorce, I thought protecting my heart meant never risking it again. Then I discovered what 'guard your heart' really means—and it changed everything about how I love.
The Night I Buried Dead Roses to Grow Something New
Eight months after planting my broken relationship in the garden as fertilizer, Charming sent fresh roses to fill my empty vase. Here's what bloomed in between.
Writer's Growth 