And sometimes they do — use what you hear as a guide for the new year —

June 2014 Ashland, KY 38° 28’ 48”N, 82° 38’ 40”W Behind the wheel, at a red light, I can see the intersections ahead and know I need to turn left at one of them. The names swirl in the fog inside my head. Which street, or is it an avenue…

Coal River Road 38° 22’ 53”N, 81° 51’ 36”W Today I call myself a BaptiPresbyMethoEpiscoChristipalian because I tried every one of these denominations on for size in my nearly 60 years. However, I can trace the roots of my religious influence. They sprouted with help from my Great Grandmother, G.G…

In the woods on the ridgeline St. Albans, WV 38° 22’ 58”N, 81° 51’ 45”W There were about four acres of woods that separated the back of our house from a neighboring subdivision. In the center of these woods is a ridgeline, a high point where you can see for…

“The aim of art is not to represent the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” — Aristotle 🍃 Coal River Road 38° 22’ 55.02”N, 81° 51’ 37.404”W 🍃 It was early 1969 and even though I was only five years old; I remember with clarity how I created this piece of…

…you have a brother. This is the 4th story in the Objects as Waypoints Writing Project series. The cottage overlooking Strawberry Road 38° 22' 49.5624'’ N81° 51' 35.8056'’ W Dad left home in 1966 when I was three. In 1969, he had made a new family. …

This is the 3rd story in the Objects as Waypoints series. Coal River Road, St. Albans, WV 38° 22’ 55.02”N, 81° 51’ 37.404”W When the box arrived on our doorstep, Grandmother called her best friend, Ora, who showed up soon after. In the kitchen, they opened the box to see what they had painstakingly chosen and ordered from a novelty catalog weeks…

Camp Lejeune 34° 43’ 29.4996”N, 77° 20’ 39.4764”W Mom joined the marines on her 18th birthday, finished boot camp at Parris Island, and stationed at Camp Lejeune, where she met Dad. It was around this time, 59 years ago, a Saturday night in mid-February when dad told mom he was Catholic and…

This is the first story (1 min. read, <600 words) in the Objects as Waypoints series. It’s about a scarf I keep that reminds me of the power of 2nd chances and the kindness of strangers. ♥️ My husband left me on Valentine’s Day in 2014. It’s not what you…