I’m Watching You
I’m hiking into the woods near my home in the Dells at night, feeling eyes on me. My mission is to see if I can get the resident barred owl to call back to me, an annual event that, to…
Amy Laundrie
The Cheery Sunflower
The Cheery Sunflower “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows. It’s what sunflowers do.”—Helen Keller. I’ve always loved sunflowers. They remind me to look on the bright side and they bring a smile to my…
The Spoon of Power
I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. A famous columnist, blogger, speaker, podcaster, playwright, consultant, teacher, multiple Moth StorySLAM winner, and the internationally bestselling author of nine books, including Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life…
Finding Humor Through the Wrinkles
I’m retrieving balls at the Baraboo High School tennis courts before my partner and I begin a second set of doubles. Just outside the fence, three young girls sit cross-legged on the cement. Ah, the wonder of being that young…
Flushed with Gratitude
My husband and I were in Cologne, Germany, last May, waiting in a long line to use the public restroom. The staff of our Rhine River Tour had warned us we’d need tokens (worth around $.50), so we’d gotten a…
As Good as I Once Was
A milestone birthday looms before me. While biking down a country road, Toby Keith’s classic, As Good As I Once Was, keeps echoing in my head. I ain’t as good as I once was; I got a few years on…
Taste the Reindeer Broth
Reindeer herder in Norway
Josie the Cockapoo’s Specialty
I’m relaxing in my doggie bed after supper when Mum comes in waving my favorite toy, a stuffed lamb, around. I ignore her, and she looks at me with a look of concern. “What’s wrong, Josie?” What’s wrong? Does she…
Our School Year Wish
At Walmart, I see a girl, age 9 or 10, accompanied by her mother, filling a cart with school supplies. I’m immediately transported back to the fourth-grade classroom. “Mrs. Laundrie,” a nine-year-old boy says, rubbing his forehead, “I’ve been working…
Time to Play!
photo credit: Tara Draper “What would bring you joy today?” That question is one that life coach and yoga instructor, Kristen (Omkari) Kloostra, would have us ask ourselves daily. “Are we reconnecting with our inner child and allowing ourselves to…