You Are Who You Come From — and More

Jan 21, 2024 | Agency, Authenticity, Connection, Worth

One of the biggest gifts I have given myself is exploring who I am because of who I come from. I couldn’t find  my voice where I was raised, but ironically searching for it took me right back home. When 49 members of the LGBTQ+ community at the Pulse Night Club in Orlando were killed, I was wrecked when I heard the NPR story about the first responders who went into the club after the gunfire ceased and the only sound in that silence was the incessant ringing of cell phones. That story brought home to me the loss of those voices that would never be heard again by those that loved them.

To honor those who were killed, I knew that I had to stop silencing my own voice—even in my own hometown. It has been an amazing journey – one that has highlighted how much I have held myself out from my family through my silence. As I have made room for my own voice in my family, our connection has deepened. However much time we have together, I am grateful for the continuing reverberations that are rippling forth from that commitment I made to myself that day.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness

A few weeks ago I was leaving the parking garage of the grocery store near my house when I saw a flash of a neon yellow safety vest out of the corner of my eye. Before I could react, the man wearing it stopped himself from dashing out in front of me. I kept on rolling...

Discovering Beauty in the Ordinary

Discovering Beauty in the Ordinary

Yesterday morning I was fixing breakfast when I happened to look over to the glass doors that lead out to my back deck. And wow. My head snapped up and I was captivated by the glory of the sky over my neighbor's house. Deep reds and oranges and purples. There is...

Thickening My Stories

Thickening My Stories

Some years ago I worked with Dr. Lani Peterson, a storyteller and psychologist I met through the Healing Story Alliance.  Dr. Peterson created a program called Story XChange. One of the key premises of that program is a concept she calls “thin stories.” These are the...

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