Exploring the fabric of our stories one character at a time.

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The good and bad foods we have

It is that time of the year when the candy comes out. All of the cakes and cookies baked to perfection. Don’t forget the decadent and savory meals prepared for family and friends to feast on. Comfort foods are sprinkled throughout our lives to help carry us through all of those hard times. But did you know there are foods that can make you feel good and foods that can make you feel bad…naturally? Foods of the body I am not going to bore you with all of the medical and chemical descriptions of how our bodies work. But think …

Are you getting too comfortable with comfort food?

A container of ice cream with a big spoon, a helping of chocolate fudge cake, or gooey cheese pizza full of your favorite toppings. How about a glass of wine, a cup of tea, or a tumbler of your favorite alcoholic drink? A plate of cheesy mac n’ cheese, a bowl full of spicy wings, or a platter of seafood placed in front of you. Do I have your mouth watering yet? How does all of these foods and drinks make you feel? How comfortable are you really when you indulge in comfort food? What is comfort food You have …

The beginning of the end of this chapter

The summer, beach weather is coming to an end. The holidays are approaching with all the rich food and celebrations. There are points throughout the year that seem to push us to look at ourselves in the mirror and ask, “Am I happy?” Personal image, internal emotions, support from loved ones, and the desire to care are put on display. A deep look into our mind, body, and soul reflected and stripped bare. At the beginning At the beginning of the year, we believe that we need to be better than we were the prior year. It is no wonder …

How to breathe in from the day

We are coming to the end of September. The focus on suicide prevention stepping to the side…for now. But, with all the talk and ads of suicide, PTSD, depression, and more, I want to turn today into a positive view. A chance to see some more pleasant and happier thoughts. To breathe from the day’s events. Weighing Down I have been struggling with many areas of my life that have weighed on me. Family, friends, work, school, and personal. Strain and stress piling up that there were times I just wanted to shut down from the world. Turn my mind …

Through the looking glass at the other side

As the saying goes, there is always two sides to a story. Someone is struggling and suffering through life as we know it. Wondering if there will ever be a day where there is no pain, when they can feel happy, at least feel as if they are loved by someone. Walking through each day seeing no light at the end of the tunnel. Thinking that there is no other way for them to go on. Two stories But that story also includes all the people that have once touched this person’s life. The family members that could lose a …

Can you tell if someone needs help?

Look at the people around you. At their faces and the way they carry their body. Which ones are smiling, with a look of happiness? What about those that are not smiling? Are they sad, angry, or just a content expression? Can you tell which ones may be in need of help? Ones that are sad, depressed, lost, or that they may consider something drastic? You may be surprised on what you find. Can you tell? I go to work and talk with my coworkers with a cheerful tone and a smile on my face (most of the time.) Do …

When is enough really enough?

Ever get to the point in life when you are ready to throw your hands up and scream? Frustrations and anguish seem to be coming from all sides at you. Almost at a point of seeing no light at the end of the tunnel. When is enough really going to be enough? If it is enough, then what? What can you do? A time when it feels like life keeps throwing obstacles at you. Making you wonder if you are strong enough to get through life. Questions of why is this always happening to me? Or why can’t I just …

Is it really in the past?

Sitting here watching my son play with his friends in the neighborhood, I start to think about children and childhood. Are we who we are because of our childhood, because of our past? Does the past dictate our present? The Others I remember driving in my parent’s car when I was younger, looking at all the houses flashing by. I would think about the people that may be living inside the buildings. Is there a family with kids inside? Maybe there was more than one family living there? Could there be kids too? Or maybe it was a group of …

Just surviving or being the survivor

It is just a mark, a symbol forcing a pause, but not an end. The semicolon, a punctuation mark that is commonly used in English grammar to indicate a pause in the sentence, a continuation to follow. Just a dot and swish has a strong presence. This mark is not just a mark to others. It is a symbol of taking a pause in life and finding the way to continue. To start anew, all the while acknowledging that the past happened and moving on. A mark of surviving. Survivor that is stronger than before. Surviving the Good and Bad …

Paying the high price for always being super

I have been talking about taking care of yourself in “Do you have enough time to take care of YOU?” and finding who is supporting you in “Do you have all of the support you need?“. Ultimately, are we paying the high price of always trying to be the superman or wonder woman of our family and friends? Stress and pressure can always come on small and build, and BUILD, until it overwhelms…then BOOM! Now there are problems. Building Pressure I have been finding myself hitting that last brick wall before I get to the BOOM of my mind. Constant …