He stood at my kitchen counter drinking a cup of coffee. Our overnight guest casually spoke about summer plans he made with his wife. It sounded nice  –  a few picnics, a couple of quick weekend trips, kids sports events to take in, maybe a holiday that they had talked about for a long time.  Then he paused and asked me, “Do you know where...

The group was silent as the question hung in the air. It was repeated. “What are the dreams that lie deep within your heart?” Slowly the answers came out. “I’ve forgotten how to dream.” “Disappointment in life has kept me from dreaming.”  “Just paying the bills and getting through has put all my dreams on the back burner.” “Helping...

The unexpected rose on her desk made her smile. The note said, “Knock their socks off”. Sue’s friend knew she was giving an important presentation and that simple act of support gave her a burst of confidence. We all need encouragement…sometimes we even need it desperately. Maggie tossed her purse on the counter and kicked off her shoes....

The gingerale bottle fell to the floor. The kids scooped it up and promptly turned the cap before I could say "Wait!!" And there it was...sugared foam oozing out of the bottle and all over the kitchen floor. "A bit like life", I thought, as I cleaned it up. Impossible to put back in the bottle and a sticky mess outside of it. Do you ever feel...

Sally swept the front step off and gave a sigh of contentment. She was so excited about her new home. With hope in her heart she looked forward to the days ahead entertaining and spending quiet evenings curled up reading. Debra was filled with hope at the promise of a new job in the fall. It was just what she had been looking for and she could...

I dashed into Superstore to pick up a few things, and it hit me. As I saw the shelves, newly stocked with school supplies, I realized with a start that this was the first fall in 20 years that I would not be buying school supplies! What a great thought! I should have done cartwheels right there in the aisle! But the thoughts that tumbled around that...

Little irritations can seem so big at times. The back up in traffic; the spilled milk; we all have our own list of little things that grate on us as we go through our day. Stress experts tell us that the little stresses, which are short term and temporary, need to be managed and put behind us. If we let them become front and center in our minds...