Gratitude Month 2026: My Parents

Over the last few weeks, my mom and dad have been on my mind so much. I even had a dream with my dad in it that was so vivid that it felt real until I was awake and had to talk myself into reality. He and I were walking around our family home's property assessing the patches of grass that were not growing properly and the patches where it needed to be mowed, and it was all so easygoing just how we used to talk when we would go on walks or shooting the breeze. Just before I woke up, he was telling me essentially that we have a good plan for things, and we agreed that it will all work out if we do what we planned. I cannot help but continue to believe it was a visit like my mom's dream last year (or early on this year), but somehow, I was not freaked out, just so comfortable with talking and walking around our old backyard. 

The only problem is now I have my parents on my mind daily, and there is nothing to do but miss them. Well, there is something. I have been preparing to write my mom's biographical sketch and have put out a call for stories, so there is that. No one has sent me any stories yet, so that has been hard, but I will be participating in National Novel Writing Month by working on her story, so I can have it together as much as possible by the end of November and put the finishing touches on over Christmas break hopefully. 

My gratitude runs deep for these two wonderful and regular and extraordinary and very missed people. They took a chance on love between two very different people, gave me life and my brothers too, and ran the course through the rest of their lives never giving up even when it might have seemed easier to do so. 

Love and miss them and appreciate them beyond any description I can write here. 

Happy First Day of Gratitude Month! 

incandescent you

How can you know who you are? 

In your beauty and your strength.

You are lux et veritas. 

 

Seek forever for the truth. 

Despite losses on your way,

Hold to love and truthfulness.

 

Be light—wish upon the stars—

As God reaches for you at length—

Ever-reaching—at full cost—

 

A cost worth every pain—

God’s divine gift to this world,

Entirely luminous.

 

You are light, and you are truth—

You are lux et veritas. 

 

Dedicated to the Class of 2026

May you never forget who you are—a beloved child of God. 

 

And to students of mine past, present, and future, thank you for trusting me 
to lead, guide, and walk beside you for this stint in your marathon called life.

baby mine

Nothing turns out how we expect—

Sometimes, it turns out better. 

Nothing can be better

Than what and how reality is. 

Stand rooted in the beauty of truth 

Be strong in righteous endeavors

Be you, a queen within all of creation. 

for my daughter, miss d.

my love

Where did you hide, 

Sweet dream of mine? 

Where did you go?

I am so low. 

You need to find me, 

darling, come see— 

The time is waning, 

And I am fainting. 

Catch me before 

All the time is gone.

not today

Writing of flowers and sunshine and kisses 

Is very well for the unforgotten, the ones where 

Promises are still kept. 

But it gets to be ridiculous when all you have known

Is leaving, lying, and cheating.

These words flow from a place of 

Disappointment— 

A place of pure and poignant

Sorrow—

A place of deep and abiding 

Wishing for better

Than she has ever known.

And yet, she writes—

Of happiness and love and joyfulness

Most days—

Just not this day.