Relationships & Spirituality
Stories about relationships, emotional and spiritual well-being
Life is Full of Ups and Downs
by Kay Lynn Means DarlingLife is so full of ups and downs, but most have lessons to be learned or knowledge to be stored. More times than not at this stage of my life it has become easier to accept change because I realize our Father in Heaven is graciously guiding my...
Dragonfly Karma: Musings of a Bereaved Mom
by Lisa M. KurekJuly 14, 2019Five years ago (actually 1,862 days ago as I write this, but who’s counting, except me) my 23 year old daughter died from a freak accident. In my brief hours of clarity, before I descended into the black hole of grief, I realized that my...
Gratitude is the Heart’s Memory
By Mary Groenewoud Hale I have fond memories of my iron butterfly grandmother, Cornelia Lievense Groenewoud, sitting in her chair knitting. She was always doing something with her hands: knitting, crocheting, darning socks, or sewing. She even made the men in our...
The Stranger in our Home
By Caroline Kessler SalcedoOn July 19, 2018, my husband and I met a stranger and invited her to live with us. To be honest, she wasn’t the best roommate at first. She stayed up all night, was very loud and never cleaned up after herself. She left her stuff all over...
Loving Jaxon
By Rachel FriendI don’t know if I can fully express the range of emotions I went through once I discovered my son had “special needs.” Specifically, a rare genetic disorder that would be the reason for his global developmental delays. Our journey began after we took...
My Father, My Hero
By Kay Lynn Means-Darling When I think back on my life, my first thought is the need to honor my heroes…being a true Daddy’s girl, first on my list would be my father. Oh how I wish I “would have known then what I know now.” The extent of sacrifices he bestowed...
Remembering…and Moving Forward
By Amber Davis I met my now ex-husband, Luke, at a high school band party when I was 15. We were strangers when our names were entered in a kissing contest. I remember our names being called and walking to the stage amidst cheers and whistles from the crowd. Luke was...
Mazel Tov, Shayna
It has been a pleasure watching Shayna Levy grown this year in her preparation for her Bat Mitzvah. As part of her mitzvah project, she helped us interview Iron Caterpillars for Iron Butterflies Project....
Shoebox Chronicles 4 – Remembering Well
By Mark LehmanLast weekend an airline flight delay leaving Washington D.C. gave me a couple of rare free hours. I could choose to see new monuments, a museum, or just visit favorite landmarks in this wonderful and uniquely American city. I opted for Arlington National...
Seth Glier, Not “Standing Still”: How his life and experience made him an Iron Butterfly
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j22Ud1hjqmk https://youtu.be/5Wck2BxGCUU https://youtu.be/PQm-QVMVfe4 From the time Seth Glier was a young boy, music was something he always enjoyed. As he grew up, he loved to entertain friends and family to be the center of...
Shoebox Chronicles 2: Gospel According to Fern
by Mark Lehman Recently I found a 46-year old letter in the shoe box which dispelled a lifetime of very unflattering impressions of my insufferable Uncle Fern. The origin of his unusual name is unknown. Proving that truth is always better than fiction, Fern’s loyal...
Shoebox Chronicles 1: Healing Power of Letters
By Mark Lehman Recently I began the laborious and sentimental task of dismantling my parent’s homestead; also my childhood home. As I worked my way through old dusty boxes found tucked away in closets and under beds, I made numerous unique discoveries about my...
Shoebox Chronicles 3: Guideposts of Dreams
By Mark LehmanAs I was growing up, it didn’t occur to me I was actually living my own history. I was simply part of the ideal post-war era of the late 1950’s and early 1960’s with loving parents seeking their own part of the American Dream in a brand new tree-filled...
Whenever You’re In Trouble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BrVYciS-PU Sandy Sandefur was born in Canada to a mother who was not ready to understand what it was like to raise a child with Cerebral Palsy. As a result, she was put up for adoption and was adopted by her mother Jean who lived in...
Healing Power of Meditation
By Melinda Rothouse Instead of asking ourselves, “How can I find security and happiness?” we could ask ourselves, “Can I touch the center of my pain? Can I sit with suffering, both yours and mine, without trying to make it go away? Can I stay present to the ache of...
Happy Mother’s Day
By Rose Horng Standing under the spotlight on stage, I felt embraced by the audience when they gave me a warm applause. I couldn’t believe I finally did it – delivering a public speech in English. I have been very shy since childhood, so I always feel nervous whenever...
A Reason To Fight
By Anna Harwin As the family scapegoat for a drunken stepfather, I knew it wasn’t safe to go home. Too many meals missed, too many head ringing punches, too little sleep, I knew I wouldn’t survive if I couldn’t find a place to go and so, one night at the age of 12,...
Finding The Courage
by Lynn Doelger My brother and I grew up playing in the vast woods of Alabama. I started running at a young age and recall running with my Dad in the morning before he went to work. My parents married at a young age. Home life was less than pleasant. Mom and Dad were...