Walking among mountain laurels with my adopted South Carolina mom, I discovered I might be a hybrid tea rose—capable of blooming two different ways. Here's what garden wisdom taught me about career courage.
leaving teaching
Leaving Teaching to Write Full-Time: Is This My Midlife Crisis or My Calling?
After 16 years in the classroom, I'm not signing my teaching contract. A friend's sudden death at 44 made me realize: when do you give up safe and comfortable to do what you were created to do?
Going Blonde and Breaking Free: When Life Changes Call for Bold Choices
I went blonde to mark my season of change after calling off my wedding and leaving my teaching job. Here's why sometimes breaking free means going 'all or nothing' instead of playing it safe.
My Rotator Cuff Stole My Garden—But Not My Ability to Grow Things
This April, I can't dig in the dirt or pull the lawnmower cord. But watching my students discover that alliteration mimics wind and waves, I realize: some gardens grow in syntactical soil, where seeds bloom long after the gardener moves to Germany.
Writer's Growth 