On...

I had a conversation the other day with friend. In that conversation, I might have mentioned that I love Taylor Swift. He might have said something along the lines of, "but she's kinda cheesy." So... maybe, but I don't really think so. And, to date, she's sold 4 million copies of her latest album (yes, I bought it the first day), so a lot of other people don't think so either. It could be argued that Taylor and I, in the grand scheme of things, have lived vastly different lives. Certainly, the point she is in her life is not the same as mine now. Yet somehow, in the details, she's lived my life. People (I) love Taylor Swift because she is relatable. Think back - you know those times in your life where you (in your mind) were the only  person to have ever experienced such a thing? Well, she makes those times feel normal. She lets you feel not quite so alone, even if it's in hindsight. So here's my life (and perhaps every girl's life) in T...

"'Real isn't how you are made,' said the Skin Horse. 'It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.' 'Does it hurt?' asked the Rabbit.  'Sometimes,' said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. 'When you are Real you don't mind being hurt.'  'Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,' he asked, 'or bit by bit?'  'It doesn't happen all at once,' said the Skin Horse. 'You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don...

I have been really loving the OneRepublic song, " I Lived ." If you haven't heard the song or seen the video, check it out. The video highlights a boy with cystic fibrosis. Despite having to fight to breathe, this boy is determined to live his life to the fullest and to do everything he wants to do.   The boy's story is inspiring, as is the song, even without the boy's story attached. This song has motivated quite a bit of personal reflection: on my own life, and on my hopes for my children. The line that has been seriously stuck in my head is "I've owned every second that this world could give..."  Have I? Probably not every second, but no one is perfect. In the past, this was less important. It is easy to get caught up in the habit of life - the ritual of the mundane. Recent experiences have opened my eyes.   In the past, I have taken things for granted, from how I have let days pass me by without really being present, t...

I am going to ask you to use your imagination. Picture a four or five year old girl with blonde hair, a wide smile, and a huge imagination. If you're having trouble with a reference point, picture Alli. That's pretty close. Alli (Age 5) When I was four or five years old, I owned a pair of Wonder Woman Underoos. Truth be told, I was a little jealous of my friend, Kelly, because she had the Super Girl Underoos and I thought they were kinda cooler. But, once I got over the jealousy thing, I committed to the role. Let me be clear: I did not just pretend to be Wonder Woman. I actually BELIEVED I was Wonder Woman, with my whole heart and soul. I was strong, brave, and true. I was willing to go to battle against all that was bad in the world. I was determined. I had a purpose and my purpose was to do good, no matter what. And, fortunately for me, my parents did not try hard to convince me otherwise. I may not have had an invisible jet, but in every way that mattered, I was ...

The New Year is my favorite holiday. I cannot begin to tell you the number of happy memories I have of New Years as a kid, with my friend Kelly and her mom, banging pots and pans together screaming "Happy New Year" at the top of our lungs at the ball drop. From the time we were in elementary school, up until we were seniors in high school, every year had that same element. It was fantastic and I cannot wait to share that tradition with my children. While it is true that those memories have made New Years special for me, what I actually like the best is the concept of a new year, a new beginning... starting a new chapter of life with a blank page. For someone, like myself, who loves the challenge of creating certainty out of chaos, what could possibly be a better holiday? At the beginning, there is no certainty. It is all fresh. It all has potential to be molded into my own brand of certainty. There is only possibility. I realize that not everything will happen as I plan...