Columns

“Hey, is that Lego?” my brother asks, a spark of interest in his eyes. He leans over to get a better view of my laptop. He’s 17, but in that moment, I see the 7-year-old boy who loved Lego so much, he’d want to immediately begin work on every…

I knew I was in for a treat when a friend texted me in all caps: “BRIE BRIE BRIE!” I was so into the book I was reading that I took a while to check my notifications. But once I did, it didn’t take me long at all to…

Have you ever looked back on the person you used to be and thought, “That was a lifetime ago!” When I think this way, I look at it from two different perspectives. On one hand, yes, my past self seems light-years away. On the other hand, that other me…

Being surrounded by tranquility and stunning scenery in the North Carolina mountains is a true blessing. A bonus is that our two grandchildren live down the road! Clara, 5, and James, 3, entertain us all with their endless antics. It’s great fun for my husband, Randy, and me to…

When it comes to vendettas, I have two. One is against Sigmund Freud. Freud, the “father” of psychology, who’s known for his unbelievably misogynistic views. Google “Freud misogyny” and you’ll get a laundry list of jeremiads decrying his influence on the mental health profession. Some of my favorites…

About a decade ago, I woke to the sight of dozens of butterflies bathed in gentle light above my head. I wasn’t expecting that. When I lost consciousness, my mom and I had just arrived at the hospital in an ambulance after being rescued from our home…

A few years ago, I wrote about the need for more understanding and awareness about disability. No matter how many years have passed or how much has changed, I’ve always felt strongly that this topic should be included in everyday conversations about disability. In that column, I…

It was a classic Midwestern summer day on Lake Michigan as my friend Sarah and I parked by the Wisconsin docks of the Sailing Education Association of Sheboygan.  As we geared up for an afternoon of adaptive sailing, the breeze blew stronger, carrying the…

After I was hired as a columnist for SMA News Today, a stack of onboarding documents was sent to my email. I spent an entire day reading them and signing my name systematically. But among the documents, one titled “Writing Advice” drew my deeper attention. I’m not usually one…

I woke up to a Facebook notification inviting me to a group for my high school reunion. It dawned on me that next year will mark a decade since I graduated. Factor in a pandemic, and it feels more like several decades since I crossed the stage in June…