Yesterday we had our Smith Family Reunion, Mama's family that had eight children and twenty grandchildren. We were lucky that all but one of the eight-- three daughters and five sons, lived in North Carolina and we saw them regularly when we were growing up. I have fond memories of Grandma Smith's farm house bulging … Continue reading Family Reunion: A Gathering of Loyalty and Love
#stepforwardfromcancer
Pondering the Past Year
We're finishing another Christmas season, headed into the final week of 2021 and a time of looking back and evaluating what's been accomplished over the past year. If you had resolutions-- did you keep them? If you called them goals-- did you achieve them? How are you better or worse off than you were on … Continue reading Pondering the Past Year
A Life Without Regret: Embracing the Journey
This past week I had the privilege of being with a long-time friend who is dealing with an incurable cancer. She's been treated with every chemotherapy available but still the cancer returns. I consider it a privilege because she included me in the limited time she has as her life is narrowing in. She's getting … Continue reading A Life Without Regret: Embracing the Journey
Taking a Risk in Kentucky
Lately I've been remembering my solo journey in 2016 that was the longest I've ever taken. That year I traveled to Kentucky, to a rural area that was an hour, northeast of Lexington. There I attended an artist's residency at Artcroft, a program that provided living quarters and studios for artists-- including writers. I'd learned … Continue reading Taking a Risk in Kentucky
Reframing: Giveaway to Gift
You see it everywhere-- Free stuff in exchange for something. Audiences on The Ellen Show jump up and down with excitement as she gives one thing away then another to her raving fans. Dr. Phil gives a book by a professional that’s under the audiences' chairs. Giveaways also come in meager forms like raffles at … Continue reading Reframing: Giveaway to Gift
Step Forward in 2019
Over the past year since I’ve been on Twitter, I’ve often used the hashtag #stepforwardfromcancer. That phrase came to me when I was planning a group for breast cancer survivors. I was using my Life Coaching knowledge to help those participants move toward a better place in their lives. When I remembered back to my … Continue reading Step Forward in 2019
Three Great Gifts
One of the surprises for me of Going Social are the connections I've made with people and organizations around the world. After one of my post concerning my journey with breast cancer, an organization in the United Kingdom, Cancer Care Parcel messaged me and invited me to do a guest blog post. Looking at their … Continue reading Three Great Gifts
Family Ties: Someone’s Favorite
I've been decorating my home for Christmas and I keep finding special things that remind me of my Aunt Polly: an engraved ornament, my blue porcelain angels, woodland birds. On Saturday evenings when my husband and I watch movies, I work on my crewel embroidery pillow and remember how she taught me the stitches when … Continue reading Family Ties: Someone’s Favorite
Solo Journey: Dream Destination
In last week’s blog post, I told about how a Literary Agent set me on a Solo Journey of Indie Publishing. I knew my dream destination—publication of my memoir, but I felt hesitant to take the first step forward. Like when I approach my yearly solo journeys-- the destination is determined but there is uncertainty … Continue reading Solo Journey: Dream Destination
Share Your Cancer Story
“Come on in and join the party!” my friend Mary, the birthday ‘girl’ and host, welcomed me. She was in the midst of checking the beverage coolers, taking care of her guests. It was Saturday night and I was ready for a break from my growing lists of tasks: next steps in publishing my memoir, … Continue reading Share Your Cancer Story
Connie Rosser Riddle 