The absence of coercion or constraint in choice or action. Liberation from slavery or the power of another. We all agree freedom is of high value. Maybe the highest. Even if we do not all interpret what freedom looks like in the same way, we recognize the worth of this multi-dimensional noun. It means so … Continue reading Freedom
Inspiration
I am a Speaker
I never knew I was a writer. Until a newspaper editor put “Michelle Gunnin is a writer.” in my byline for an article I wrote, I had no idea. I put ideas on paper, but in my mind, that didn’t make me a real writer (whatever a real writer looks like). It was just thoughts. … Continue reading I am a Speaker
Even the Bones…
I went to Boneyard Beach this week. It is a long stretch of sand, covered with downed trees which appear to have toppled when the water eroded the sandy soil beneath them. Each one is its own work of art, like giant pieces of driftwood. The sun has bleached them to almost white. The root … Continue reading Even the Bones…
Pebble in My Shoe
There is a pebble in my shoe. With each step I wound myself. The pain travels into the sole and causes me to walk with a limp. Step. Hobble. Step. Hobble. It is beyond annoying. The bruises make me dread each footfall. Some steps are painless, as the stone moves to the side, but that … Continue reading Pebble in My Shoe
As I Age
As I age, I am watching the generation before me in their last days. Mentors becoming frail. The invincible, seem fragile. All those I looked up to are more human, somehow. Weaker as their bodies fail them. They always were human of course, but in my youth, I rarely saw that. My eyes were full … Continue reading As I Age
Celebration of Life
There are some friendships that stand the test of time. The kind that pick up right where they left off and never get stale. I believe it is when the spirit of God in you recognizes the spirit of God in them. You are made from the same material, and you belong to each other. … Continue reading Celebration of Life
Plant a Seed
The cloak of darkness, hovers. Whether snow or cold rain, the damp feels like icy fingers reaching inside the bones. The blanket of cold, covers. It is the winter season. A time of isolation. Seclusion. Pulling back. Staying in. For some, a time of reflection. For others, a time of rumination. Either way, it is … Continue reading Plant a Seed
Damar Hamlin
Along with millions of others, I was watching the game when Damar went down. I was confused, just like everyone else. Looking at the replay I told Bill I didn’t think it was a head injury. (We have some experience with what head injuries look like. 🙂 ) But if not that, then what? On … Continue reading Damar Hamlin
Cancer Free for 16 Years
January 2nd is Mom’s Alive Day around my house. It’s been 16 years since my last chemo treatment; 16 years since I heard the beautiful words ‘cancer free’. In some ways it seems like eons ago, in others it seems like yesterday. Any little unexpected twinge or unexplained pain brings it all flooding back. Having … Continue reading Cancer Free for 16 Years
2023
It’s that time of year again. As I get older, it comes faster and faster. The world is a spinning top and it flies around the sun with such fervor and intensity, it seems it might fly off course and crash at any moment. The speed is mind-boggling. When I was a kid, it seemed … Continue reading 2023