"Using life experiences to inspire, encourage and educate others is why I write. I believe sharing our stories helps us to realize we're not alone; that others have struggled, hurt, failed and got back up and found their way. I hope my stories make you think, laugh and feel grateful. - Deana Landers
The subject was drugs. My son told me he thought his children would receive good information about drugs in their schools, but it was still the parent’s responsibility to talk about it at home.
I agreed and reminded him that we did the same for him and his brother and sister. “I know, Mom,” he said carefully. “But you were too late.”
Trying not to show how dumbfounded I was, I asked him what he meant. “By the time you asked me about drugs, Mom, I had already tried them,” he said as gent...
Read MoreThe older gentleman in the hall outside the classroom was dressed very professionally. He wore a brown tweed jacket, dark brown trousers, a striped shirt, and a sharp-looking tie. His hair was gray, and his glasses made him look very wise. So I figured he must be the professor of the class I was about to enter.
When the door opened, 25-30 college students, dressed in an array of youthful outfits, funneled in and sat down, ready to start the new semester.
I sat in the middle near the wall just in case I changed my mind and decid...
Read More“Please, God, don’t let my Papa die this week. That’s all I got to say. Amen.” That was my 9-year-old grandson’s prayer when he had to take him home early because my husband had to be admitted to the hospital.
It started a few weeks ago when I woke up and heard my husband stumbling through the dark hallway. I got up quickly and went to him. He didn’t seem to know where he was, and when I tried to help him, I realized his skin was hot, and he didn’t seem to know who I was.
I took his te...
Read MoreWouldn’t it be sad if you had to wait until the people you love died before you began to take care of yourself?
I met a 65-year-old lady named Pat this week who said that is what happened to her. She has lost 680 pounds in the last seven years and 280 in the previous two years.
“Wow, that is a lot of weight, I told her. What made you decide to lose the weight, and how did you do it”.
“Well, when my second husband died, I thought it was time to take care of myself, she said. So I took care of my f...
Read MoreMy Christmas tree is still up. I know — It is the first day of the new year, and it’s time to take the decorations and lights down and get on with life.
However, Christmas isn’t over until after January 6th, when we celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany.
The 12 Days of Christmas is the title of a song we know. Still, it refers to the period between Christmas Day, when Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, to Epiphany, when they mark his manifestation — “incarnation,” in some Christian traditions.<...
Read MoreNothing is worse than being stuck in an airplane with a screaming child. “That mother needs the kid under control,” he said loud enough for the young mother to hear the comment.
The little girl making all the noise was about 18 months old, and no amount of consoling from her frazzled mother would soothe her.
I was flying home from a conference in Atlanta and felt sorry for the young woman trying to get her child to stop crying. But, unfortunately, acquiring “Mom” doesn’t mean you always know what t...
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