By Dawn Onley I’ve never been too crazy about fall. The end of summer and the first glimpse of cold weather always drew me into a rather melancholy state, particularly if I didn’t get much beach time while the weather was sizzling hot. It’s funny how age, and the internal, mid-life heat that accompanies it,…

By Samantha McKenzie Ever get that fluttering feeling in the pit of your belly? The one that comes from an overabundance of excitement, the jitters, or those rare moments when the person you like finally notices you. My girlfriend apparently has a honing device inside of her tummy. It’s really amazing. There are times when she…

By Dawn Onley When we make a decision not to give money to the beggar on the street, sometimes a judgment accompanies that choice. “He’s going to use the money for alcohol or drugs,” we might think. Or, we might tell ourselves that he is a scam artist who doesn’t really need the money and…

By Samantha McKenzie As we enter into the presidential election season, I am glued to the news updates, waiting to hear which candidate said what – the good, the bad and the ugly. To be honest, I’m not so big on politics, but I take pleasure in voting. Years ago, after working as a summer intern at…

By Dawn Onley In the picture, the horse is tied to a plastic, outdoor chair, under the caption: “Sometimes the chains that prevent us from being free are more mental than physical.” We’re just like that horse. We are bound to imaginary limitations which impede us from breaking the mental shackles that still exist from…

By Samantha McKenzie The dining room table was set. The aroma of a home cooked meal oozed out the kitchen. Family members scattered throughout the house. A mother’s voice called the troops in. Supper was ready to be served. The time I’ve spent at the dining room table as a child were happy times. I remember…

By Dawn Onley It never ceases to amaze me the number of people that I come across who don’t fully grasp their worth. They brag about their kids, their spouse, their family and friends, even their dog, but when the conversation shifts to them, they avoid eye contact, they belittle their accomplishments, and they cut…

By Samantha McKenzie There’s a formula in physics that states force multiplied by distance equals work. For something to be labeled “work,” it has to have both of these factors. Simply put, we have to DO something, and that something has to MOVE from one point to another. Merely participating in lots of activities and looking…

By Dawn Onley Bang all you want. Ring the doorbell. Tap the windows. Peer through the opening in the Venetian blinds. It doesn’t matter. If you are bringing negativity to my door, I’m no longer answering. I’m turning my music up. I’m singing a happy tune. I’m cooking a meal. I’m folding clothes and washing…

By Samantha McKenzie I asked a student what he wants to do with his life after graduation. This is a fairly typical conversation that happens often on campuses. He paused for a moment, struggled to get his words together and then said, “Well it sounds crazy when I say it out loud, but in my…