cindy
Overflowing with words,
but where do I begin?
A misfit, middle child, preacher’s kid, I escaped into the safe spaces of books and cozy chairs. Hidden behind glasses and ugly-shame, I observed. I was too much an introvert to speak my words, but pen and paper opened the valve to writing my truths. My explorations and experiences led me to question organized religion, to identify as a feminist and ally, and to understand the value of my own voice, as well as the price of remaining quiet.
A career built on writing and language skills gave me a voice in a meaningful way and an accumulation of stories to inform my life; gave me confidence. Marriage, two children, sandwich generation caregiving, the loss of loved ones have added richness and depth to my worldview. Failures, regrets, and pure bad luck color my story. Friends, older and younger, continue to teach me so much and fill my heart with joy.
My words, as a woman of slightly-more-than-middle-age, indeed overflow and cascade into the words of the next generation, my daughter Rebecca, a strong voice of her own.
Writing has always allowed me to speak the unspeakable,
empowered my thoughts and spirit, and given me grace and peace.
Writing has always allowed me to speak the unspeakable,
empowered my thoughts and spirit, and given me grace and peace.
recent posts.
That Time I Got a Tattoo
The decision was made. I had thought about it, picked a design that was meaningful to me. Then I waited. Waited to be sure. Waited for an artist reference. Waited for my friend to return. And when it happened, it happened fast. He asked “today?” and I said “okay.”
Women Mentoring Women
Reading the novel, The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer really sent me down a path of thinking about women, work, mentors, and how we grow each other. Didn’t hurt that it flooded me with memories of my early feminism in the 70’s.
One Week at a Time
Most weeks (and days) are a mix of emotions and energy, some good and some not so good. Just another week on the calendar. We tend to expect so much, but even the detours may look like yellow brick roads in the rearview mirror.
Bookshelf: April-June 2021
A full year into the pandemic found my book stack dwindling, just in time for new birthday and Mother’s Day books, plus a few bargains from the overstock shelves. What have you been reading?
Memories of Mary
Losing a friend, a contemporary, is not something I want to get used to, but as I get older I see more warning signs. My own health isn’t exactly ideal, and friends struggle with a variety of ailments. I certainly don’t dwell on it, but I want to embrace the lessons.
Bookshelf: Jan – March, 2021
January in my house means new Christmas books to read! I won’t get into the carefully curated gift lists Rebecca and I devise for holidays, but it works. The one thing I didn’t notice about my Christmas 2020 list until I gazed upon all the new books together is the common theme of do-overs, life regrets, and life and death overall. If you’ve been following along, you know I am drawn to heavier topics, so this theme fits right in.
favorite things.
authors:
Ann Patchett | Anne Lamott | Anna Quindlen | Antoine de St. Exupery
books:
The Little Prince | Harry Potter series | A Thousand Splendid Suns, and everything Khaled Hosseini has written | The Magician’s Assistant, and everything Ann Patchett has written
quotes:
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” – Antoine de St. Exupery
“Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” – Khalil Gibran
“The truth will set you free but first it will piss you off.” – Gloria Steinem
background & interests.
self care:
Reading | Time with friends (and coffee or wine) | Massage/sauna
professional background:
Communications education, with a dose of English and theater. Career in public relations and marketing, primarily in not-for-profit health care.
personal growth experiences:
Becoming a mom | Losing my parents | Redefining self after an unplanned career transition
