Joy has its own music, a spiritual hymn with movement and melodies, the notes playing through our days. And it can be muted by the sheer busyness of living. Without realizing it, we can become tone deaf to positive feelings….
Baggage
At some point in your life, you may have put on your favorite striped outfit and asked a quintessential question: “Does this dress make me look fat?” The question beneath the question is, “Do I look ugly, self-indulgent, or weak?…
A Field Guide to Imps
A few times a week, the neighborhood cat, Gladys, puts dead birds and moles on the doormat. These unwelcome gifts made my chest tighten, so I bought her a collar, one with bells. But she was a born killer, and…
The Trouble with Perfection
“And they lived happily ever after. . . .” A storybook life only happens to fictional characters. In real life, the prince turned out to be a compulsive philanderer, gambler, drug abuser, or garden variety pest. Real-life women know the…
A Quiet Life
The other day, as I looked at images on Tumblr and Pinterest, I stopped feeling inspired and began to fidget. What was wrong? Didn’t I enjoy looking at layer cakes and border gardens? How could I turn away from 1001…
Should You Keep a Joy Journal?
You deserve to thrive, not just survive. No one can sustain a joyful state. Bad days are just part of being human. Yesterday was packed with challenges, and my pulse zoomed, fast and irregular, like a squirrel racing across piano…
