Spring bubbles with possibilities when it comes to themes. This issue evolved from the title of its cover art. When asked what feeling the painting evoked, a native Spanish-speaker responded, “Renacer” - rebirth, or to be reborn, in Spanish. As the original artist, the name landed as the proper one for this piece. The vibrant colors and movement depict the sometimes chaotic, expansive, loud, even overwhelming emotions that accompany the thought of being reborn. They are als

“To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” — Audrey Hepburn Renewal is an integral part of the natural cycle. Growth is followed by maturity, maturity by slowing, slowing by decay, decay by death, and death by rebirth. At times the death is literal and complete; one generation giving way to another. Other times only a part of a living thing dies, having fully served its purpose and falling away so that thriving may occur. This can be spectacular, like the changing colors

It’s not often that I open the solitaire app on my phone, but a long bumpy flight recently was just the impetus for me to get lost in the methodical, monotonous comfort it can provide once in awhile.Zoning out at 36,000 feet, shuffling cards from pile to pile, moving through game after game (more wins than losses - woot!) led me to a strange discovery that stuck with me for awhile. At the bottom of my screen and at the beginning of a new game appeared three little words: NEW

I live in Ohio, and the coming of Spring feels momentous. January and February are a gray and gloomy duo for the most part. As I think about the Januarys and Februarys throughout my life, I often picture myself trudging through them while simultaneously trying to hygge up my space, bringing some comfort and cozy to my inner and outer landscape. This year, as I step across the threshold of Spring with its beginnings of buds on the maple trees and green daffodil stems bumping o

There it was, I could feel it, the thick scratchy wool and circular shape. As I pulled the little black record with the red center and silver ribbon out of the ornament box, I took a moment to look at it and reminisce as it laid in my hand. It was one of my families’ favorite Christmas tree ornaments. My sister had gifted it to my daughter as a tribute to the record year where she, and, my whole family, had met deep sadness and still continued to thrive. My daughter loves co

I often wonder how our individual ways of being, our unique personal operating systems, so to say, came to be. So much of how we operate on a daily basis drives what we do, and perhaps, more importantly, what we don’t do. Is how we move through our minutes, hours, and days, at this stage of our lives, at this very moment in time, more heavily influenced by nature? By nurture? By personality? By outer influence? By inner drive? By stillness? Regardless of the style of our modu

I'm a sucker for a good plan. A good plan considers all the variables and helps you make good decisions. I love to make plans for lots of things in my life so I can make sound decisions and move forward. I feel they help me relax and go with the flow. I realize this is truly not going with the flow, but it's what works for me. My therapist thought my way of doing things was exhausting me. She saw me making pro and con lists, researching and planning for even the very small th