Essays
I write articles and essays as a way to explore my own thoughts, experiences, and questions. It’s where I reflect on what I’ve been through, what I’m learning, and how I’m growing. My hope is that in sharing these moments—both big and small—you might find something that resonates with your own journey too.
Earth Day and Finding Mindfulness on the Trail
Earth Day always feels personal to me in a way that goes beyond a single day of awareness. It started in 1970 as a response to growing concern about pollution and environmental harm, but over time it…
Cancer Control Month: Lessons in Mindfulness and Support
April is known for many things—the start of spring, a season of renewal, and new beginnings. But it is also Cancer Control Month, first recognized in April 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Hi…
What’s your go-to plant vibe?
What’s your go-to plant vibe is a question I’ve started asking friends the way some people ask about coffee orders. Because if you think about it, the plants we love say something about us. They reve…
The Langsdon Mineral Collection
One of my favorite childhood books was Rocks & Minerals, a gift from my parents that ignited my love for geology. I could spend hours flipping through its pages, admiring the colorful gems and learni…
A Journey Through Fern’s Fairylight Express
On a chilly winter afternoon, we stepped through the doors of the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory and were instantly transported to another world. The gray, cold air outside gave way to warmth, humidity, and a soft glow of twinkling lights. Everywhere we looked, lush greenery, sparkling fairy lights, and whimsical displays invited us to explore
Cousins, Chrome, and Second Chances
I was born into a family of motorheads. Not the casual “cars are nice” kind — the real kind. The kind who can identify a V8 before it rounds the corner. The kind who treat Sunday drives like sacred rituals. In our family, chrome wasn’t decoration. It was devotion.
Timeless Treasures: The Enduring Charm of Crocks
When I showed my mom the photo I had taken at an Antique Mall a while back, she looked at it thoughtfully and remarked, “I bet those crocks were expensive. Those used to be the thing to live by.”
Bookstores, comforting, and endlessly inviting in any season
My Husband Will Sometimes Ask, With a Knowing Smile, “Have You Moved at All?”—And I’ll Answer, “Yes—About Two Feet…Toward Books”
The Snow
I often take the time to thank our first responders for their courage, dedication, and the critical role they play in keeping our communities safe. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t also recogni…
Deeply Cherished Libraries
I want to take a moment to reflect on what makes libraries so deeply cherished by so many of us. At their heart, libraries are more than buildings filled with books—they are welcoming spaces shaped b…
Scribbles in the Scroll
I cherish vintage books. There’s something almost sacred about them. Nearly every day, I pull one from my shelves, open its worn cover, and find traces of the lives that touched it before mine—lines …