On a drive through south-central Kentucky, it’s not uncommon to lose a radio signal while passing through a holler tucked between rocky cliffs. Yes, I still sometimes listen to that now-archaic format of music sent across the airwaves. And for younger generations, losing a radio signal often means losing a cellphone signal too. For that …
Category: Gratitude
Me-First Attitude
If you pose a question like, “What are your thoughts on the current college transfer rules?” you’re almost guaranteed to spark a lively debate about the state of intercollegiate athletics—especially on a campus where nearly 80 percent of students are athletes. Teach in a sport-related discipline, and the intensity rises: not only are most students …
Not an Expert
Yazoo, Mississippi—If reading those words fails to bring to your mind a rich southern drawl sharing the stories of Marcel Ledbetter and coon hunting, then you did not have the same rich childhood that I did growing up in the 1970s. But guess what? You do not have to miss out, because you can Just …
Appreciative Examen
Are you a math person or a language person? Perhaps, like me, you might rate yourself somewhere in between, similar to what is described in a previous post about being a Lark, Owl or Third Bird. Providing information in a numerical format seems easier for me to remember, but words also matter. Ask me to …
Transplanted
One of the charming aspects of being an academic is that you are often surrounded by experts in a variety of fields and disciplines from healthcare to soil science! Like others on campus, I can be guilty of gushing about subjects I find intriguing, whether that involves the dimensions of wellness, Unreasonable Hospitality, or Appreciative …
Aging Gratefully
On a July afternoon in Southern Germany in 2022, as a few in our travel group waited for a bus departure after visiting Neuschwanstein Castle, we were given the opportunity to witness a lady embracing the idea of Aging Gratefully. On her third adventure to see the Passion Play at Oberammergau (which only occurs every …
Aging Ugly
“Smooth skin means nothing if your heart is rough.” This statement by Heather Creekmore in Aging Gratefully brings to light the fact that we often have a choice on whether we are Aging Gratefully or Aging Ugly. Creekmore describes an encounter with a woman whose face is etched into her memory. “Yes, it was wrinkled. …
New Kentucky Home
Weep no more, my lady! It’s now been one month since the second moving truck (the first one broke down and they had to reload a new one—don’t even get me started on the phrase If it can go wrong, it will) pulled into the long white driveway of my rental house in Campbellsville. After …
Next Time
Just in case you have never noticed, I’m not adept at saying goodbye. If we don’t hug when parting, or experience a verbal goodbye, it’s completely acceptable to me because it truly means that I will be seeing you again. Perhaps I should commence offering the phrase, “Next Time” in place of “goodbye” because the …
Grumbling to Grateful
Except for some disappointment that one area of my life did not really turn out as I had once dreamed, I would mostly describe myself as an optimistic, hopeful, glass-half-full type of person. However, without a clear explanation as to what has changed in the last few years, I’m experiencing a bit of a struggle …
Flourishing @ Life 