Like a giant, motorized float, gratitude is paraded out and cheered at Thanksgiving, its ultimate holiday.  Many acknowledge what they are grateful for, even announcing it while sitting at a table with family, friends and a sumptuous feast, truly a gratitude-inducing event.  This continues into the year-end holidays, again around food, but with the addition…

“I’ll revise the first chapter just once more, polish it up, then I’ll head into the next chapter,” she said with the bravado of certain finality. I tilted my head and inhaled deeply.  “Consider accepting the win and moving on.” “What win?  Why?” she asked, scrunching up her face. “Because you have a strong foundation…

Friday morning before dawn, my mother’s life came to a peaceful end after a 12-year struggle with Parkinson’s Disease. “Dad,” I said on Saturday evening after the visitation as we sat in his home blankly watching TV.  “The minister asked if we wanted to prepare something for her eulogy.”  I mentioned I’d talked to my…

She rescheduled her appointment…again.  I realized that if this was her habit with our appointments, it was probably happening with her writing.  “Thought about, then put off until later knowing it would sit and wait just like it did yesterday.” As disappointed and frustrated as I felt, I had to admit sometimes I do this…

After a two month absence, the fourth member of the Creative Writers Workshop returned, completing the community.  This reunion, a special occasion, had sentiment, tradition and joy. After checking in on creative issues, writing was reviewed.  One shared a piece developed over the last meetings, fiction prepared to satisfy an invitation for a journal launching…