Treasures & Tidbits

By Shelley Friend There was a man in my neighborhood who walked every day carrying a backpack.  He was a small man and it looked like he added weight to his backpack. Every time I saw him he appeared to be walking slower the more weight he carried…no ear plugs, no...

by Shelley Friend What a concept, to have everything in its place.  I took an online cooking class two years ago and learned the culinary term “Mise en Place,” which is the French term for putting everything in place. If you ever watch any cooking shows, the chef has...

By Adam Roten I’ve had the opportunity to work outside most of my life, which has given me the chance to observe and appreciate our surroundings that a lot of people may take for granted. One thing that I think about are the large, old-growth oak trees of many...

It is an honor to be talking with y’all today, about the Butterfly Effect. In asking me to do this, I’m assuming Shelley respects my expertise as a neuropsychologist or a father of two teenagers. Since the Butterfly Effect is based on Chaos Theory, I’m going to assume...

by George D. Lewis Sometimes in life we find ourselves falling into a deep well with no way out. As we sit there at the bottom looking up to see if there is help, we often find an empty place and no one in sight.  We sit and stare at the last bit of water and think to...

To celebrate the 242nd birthday of the United States, we thought we'd have some of our contributors write a bit about what patriotism means to them.  Our Founders were definitely Iron Butterflies as they wrote and implemented the Declaration of Independence.  For the...

by Kathy Strain I suppose I have been feeling a little nostalgic lately so I have been thinking more about my youth and childhood. I grew up in the east where the summers were humid and the air conditioners were scarce (the parents always had one in their rooms, but...

by Verlie Edwards I’ve always lived in landlocked parts of Texas, but that hasn’t kept me from loving the beach with its sand, tropical fish and crashing waves. The beach is the only place where I relax and completely unwind. Whether traveling to the Texas Gulf Coast...

by Verlie Edwards During the fall of 1979 while working at the Texas Osteopathic Medical Association, I had a unique opportunity to take 40-plus osteopathic physicians and spouses on a continuing education trip to Russia. We traveled from Dallas/Fort Worth to Moscow...

By Verlie Edwards I’m often anxious about meeting new people. Will they like me? Will I like them? What are we going to talk about? I recently had these questions while visiting longtime friends who had another friend staying with them at the same time. My fears were...

It’s a Gusher! By Verlie Edwards Have you ever experienced something that stuck in your mind forever? I bet the answer is a big YES! I know that’s how it is for me. I don’t remember how old I was, maybe between 6- and 8-years-old when I witnessed something few have...

By Shelley Anne Friend Lagniappe (pronounced LAHNYAP) means giving a little something extra. In business, it is sometimes "a small gift given a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase.” For example, when you order a dozen baked goods and the baker gives you...

Spring begins Another year as life supposes Where seeds emerge from depth and shallow Breaking open to come alive The nurtured ones surely crest the soils embrace Taking happy breathes as life renews its pace For you and for me new creatures sure as we Continue to...

By Kathy Strain This weekend was special for our son Kenneth because he proposed to his sweetheart, McKenna, the love of his life.  He lives in Idaho and is attending college there. While we’re all missing him here in Texas, I’m still glad he went to Idaho. He loves...

We are starting a periodic feature called #butterflykisses that recognizes someone who is making a difference in the lives of others. April 2, 2018 Our first #butterflykisses goes to Caitie Whelan's Lightning Notes. The purpose is to "help us move the world forward....

SXSW is more than entertainment  By Kathy Strain Austin, Texas is still in the recovery mode from the annual South By Southwest (SXSW) invasion. People came from all over the world to enjoy music, movies, technology, and gaming. I was one of the estimated 300,000...

Have you ever heard of the term "autotelic?"  Basically, it means "self goal."  Dr. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi uses it to describe people who are driven by their sense of purpose in his book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. We believe Iron Butterflies Project...