I left our piano with my ex-husband because playing it without him felt like a lie. Seven years later, at a wedding with someone new, I discovered what second chances really mean.
Relationships
Playing LIFE with My Boyfriend Taught Me What’s Missing: There’s No Divorce in Board Games
I sued Charming three times and still felt jealous of his blue-peg children. In Hasbro's LIFE, marriage is guaranteed—a mandatory stop for all players. But neither of us had instructions for when real marriages bite the dust. Maybe that's why we keep playing: we still have a chance to get it right.
Three Men, One Rollercoaster, and the Memory That Won’t Stay Buried
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.
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.
Snow White Worried She Wasn’t Inspiring—Then e.e. cummings Taught Us Both About First Roses
Five false starts into writing night, my student Snow White confessed her prom prep stories 'might not be inspiring.' But between her friend's heartbreak and e.e. cummings declaring 'feeling is first,' I found my first hidden rose of spring—and remembered why poetry has no boundaries.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Writer's Growth 