Living As Art

Freedom is like cancer. It clarifies cloudy priorities and reveals the tremendous treasures buried beneath the depths of want and desire. In our attempt to cover too much in life - to know too much, do too much, to have too much - We often live like oscillating fans – unable to stay fixed on a singular target. Freedom and cancer expose both the fragility and fullness of every human life. I sat in a custody hearing recently. The silence in the room crawled under my skin and infected me. I wondered if the severe quiet would permanently suppress my...

Relationships are like red buds. Just as you become almost bored to death of the barren branches, flowers break open from them almost overnight. My husband I met at twelve, began a relationship at 14 and married by 20. The night before our wedding, I lay in my twin sized, floral comforter covered bed and briefly mourned the end of the before- marriage-part of our relationship. I had no doubts, no worries, and I welcomed the unknown but certain changes we’d face in the covenant committed part of our relationship; but what we’d had up to that point had been...

I drive my kids around for millions of hours per week. While in transit a couple of days ago I stopped next to a young girl in a small white two-door car. She looked fourteen. Not only did her youth disturb me but she was on the phone, filing her nails, and had one foot in her seat, leaving only one out of four limbs apparently in control of her driving skills. I looked at my youngest sons face in my rear view mirror. I work constantly at protecting my children – at maintaining their physical, emotional and mental well-being....

Yesterday, we Reese’s participated in our long-standing family tradition. We gather dozens of eggs, boil them and decorate them in every imaginable color by dunking them, swirling them, and tie - dying them. All little egg artists present pass wax crayons for laying color, straws for blowing colors, baggies for rubbing color and glue for glittering color. They flourish the eggs with stickers, plastic wraps, and colored pipe cleaners. At times, the atmosphere becomes intense – each one wanting to create the best egg masterpiece of the year. I care much less about the eggs than I do my children...

This week I spent hours at a dealer waiting for my car to be repaired. While waiting in a room filled entirely with people I was certain suffered from the swine flu, I reflected on days when my thoughts were virgin to worries – especially ones that involved broken cars, air born viruses and warranty’s. My entire existence used to be utterly controlled by someone other than me. Although not always pleasant…my job was simply to play and sleep. It all ended when my parents made me learn to ride a bike. Santa brought me an unasked for pink Huffy...