Words from the Heart

Every so often, I remember how easy it is to give to others.  What reminded me this time, was answering my email.  There, in the middle of requests for my support for this cause or that cause, quick notes from family and friends and work related emails was one of the easiest ways to give that I have ever found. I clicked on the email and it opened to the page I have become so familiar with that I often don't really remember if I have visited it, some days.  The Greater Good Network has several tabs on its Gifts that Give More page . Each tab opens to a new page that offers an opportunity to help one of several different causes.   The simplicity of this site is amazing.  No purchases are necessary.  You don't have to sign in or have a password.  All you do is click on the button, when the window shows it has registered your support, then you go to the next tab, click on it, then, click on the button on that page, until you have supported all eight causes.  What ca

Every so often, I feel the need to share information on a difficult subject.  As a mother, grandmother and survivor, child abuse is one of those subjects that I refuse to sweep under the rug.   Back in the 70's there was a sign I would see that said, "It shouldn't hurt to be a child." Today's guest, author Chynna Laird is speaking to this directly. After her post, learn about her new book, White Elephants , a memoir of her childhood.  Listen to the Children: How to Know When A Child Is Crying Out    April is an important month for several different awareness campaigns. There are a few that run during this month that are particularly close to my heart. One of them is Child Abuse Prevention.    There are so many movies, television programs, books and media coverage on this issue but, sadly, it still isn’t focused on or understood as much as it should be. Most of this is due to the fact that people tend to focus on what’s obvious—what they can se

Today we have the extreme pleasure of a guest post with author, Barbara Taylor Sissel . Her new novel, The Ninth Step is a wonderfully crafted tale of love, deception, fear, mystery and redemption. Intermingled with the knowledge of the Language of Flowers, The Ninth Step is steps us back in time, while remaining completely relevant to today. So, without further ado, let us hear from Barbara Taylor Sissel! ~~~~~ Thanks so much, Linda, for hosting me on your lovely blog, today. Coming here is like landing in a peaceful space. I so enjoy visiting and have hopes now of leaving something behind as tangible thanks for the enjoyment I’ve had. Because it’s spring and because The Ninth Step incorporates it, we thought it would be appropriate to talk a bit about the Language of Flowers , a language that was created during the Victorian Era to express a variety of sentiments, not all of which are romantic. But, as I settled down to write, I started thinking about the ways in which certai

  Tiergarten Berlin, Wiese mit Osterglocken. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) April is here!  The first of the spring flowers are in full bloom.  The Earth is once again bursting with the miracle of Life.  Rebirth, renewal and rejuvenation resound everywhere. One of the events of this month that I look forward to most, is the Poem a Day Challenge sponsored by Robert Lee Brewer and Writer's Digest .  This is the third year I have taken the challenge to write at least one poem a day.                                                                                         I have to say, the first time I attempted this, I thought I would never be able to create a poem "on demand." However, to my surprise, I only had one or two days when the task seemed daunting.  As I proceeded over the past three years, I have found that the minute I get the prompt, my mind immediately goes into creation mode!  The following are several of the poems I have written during past Poem-a-day challeng