In one month, I’ll take off on my yearly solo journey. This time Scotland is calling me to the ancient and sacred island of Iona located in the Inner Hebrides. Ten years ago, the seed was planted when I was in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Riding the island shuttle bus, I met a man from Glasgow … Continue reading Scotland Calling
It’s About the Future
I sat on a rock overlooking the Great Smoky Mountains on that Sunday morning in September. In the stillness that was shrouded in fog, I felt the burden of trudging through cancer treatment and my toxic job. I prayed for God to lift me out of that pit, and waited for some sign that God … Continue reading It’s About the Future
Frontier of Silence
Last summer I took my solo journey to Kentucky where I had a two-week writer's residency at Artcroft. It was very quiet there in the countryside without the noise of television, wi-fi, or conversation-- since there was no other artist joining me. The only interruption to the silence was an occasional bird call, mooing cow, … Continue reading Frontier of Silence
Finding the Divine in the Everyday
The evening after my third chemotherapy, I was lying on my bed and barely able to lift my head. My nausea and fatigue had increased with the cumulative impact of the medicine. It was distressing to think I had to go through three more infusions, scheduled once every three weeks, and after that thirty radiation … Continue reading Finding the Divine in the Everyday
Toxic Takeaway
He helped me pack up my office that afternoon, my last, at The Research Company. “You know it’s not you, Connie,” he said and placed the last of my belongings in my trunk. “Just be glad you’re getting out of here.” He was the only co-worker I could trust. Later, I wondered if I really … Continue reading Toxic Takeaway
Dream it, Plan it, Do it
That’s it in a nutshell; the answer to the question that people ask, “How do you go about these solo journeys?” Choosing the place starts with the question, “Where should I go this year, God?” I wait to see what comes from inside—my interests, my curiosity, my need. Various external factors have impacted my choices, … Continue reading Dream it, Plan it, Do it
Navigating a Rough Road
Driving south on I-95 toward my solo journey to Jekyll Island, Georgia, I was reminded of my struggle in that toxic research job. When I passed the exit for Lumberton, North Carolina, I thought of a trip there to one of our study sites on a very hot day in August. I didn’t want to … Continue reading Navigating a Rough Road
Into a Life
When I was diagnosed with cancer, I was already in a fight for my life—my professional life. I’d left my secure job as a school nurse to give clinical research a try. The company where I landed was a toxic working environment. I planned to escape to something better-- once I passed the one year … Continue reading Into a Life
Golden Light
There’s a unique beauty in the magical moments at twilight, when just after sunset there’s a golden glow to the earth before darkness arrives. Last year when I had a two-week writer’s residency at Artcroft in central Kentucky, I spent most nights observing that hilly acreage as my final act of the day. It occurred … Continue reading Golden Light
Distant Cousins
As I grow older, with time passing rapidly and the future pressing in, I feel a need to reconnect with my extended family. It’s like I want a second chance to know them. Since my mother and father were both from families of eight children, I have lots of cousins. One cousin I’ve wanted to … Continue reading Distant Cousins
