The first time I remember ever letting someone down remains clear in my memory. I was eight years old in the third grade at Montrose Elementary. It was party day at my school, and everyone had signed up to bring something. I had promised to bring cups, but on the morning of the party, I left my house without them. When I arrived at school and saw everyone turning in their goodies, I realized my mistake. Now, I don’t know what you were like at eight years old, but I was way too serious. When I realized I’d forgotten the cups, I was devastated. I started crying almost uncontrollably. The teacher sent me to the office to call home to see if someone could bring the cups. I called and call
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Last night I walked out my front door into the falling snow to take my nightly gratitude walk. It’s become a tradition for me to walk up and down my little dead end street a few times right before I go to sleep. To me walking in the snow is magical, so I especially was happy to step outside last night. However, as I was strolling up my sidewalk, I noticed a truck running right outside my door with its lights shining brightly down the street. I imagined whoever was in the truck was waiting for someone in a house close by. Suddenly, I felt self-conscious. I diverted my eyes as not to look at the driver but had no choice but to walk into the path of the truck’s bright lights. I felt distrac
A few days after the big storm, I took a walk on the snow-covered path of the Sunrise Carriage Trail in my little city of Charleston, West Virginia, enjoying the icicles dripping and making tracks in the snow. As I was making my way carefully back down the trail, a familiar feeling overcame me. I’ve had this feeling again and again as I’ve walked this trail but it often sneaks up on me and suddenly I am overwhelmed by it. Gratitude. It’s not just gratitude in general, but it’s a very specific gratitude for this exact trail in this exact place. The Carriage Trail has been a source of great healing and growth in my life, and each time I climb this hill, I am aware of that. Years ago when I
