Tag: Simple Joys
Aging and birthday blues
I’ve been quietly reflecting on my birthday this year. The candles, the greetings, the familiar phrase: “Happy Birthday!” But what happens when you don’t feel exactly happy on your birthday? There’s a name for that strange heaviness before or around your birthday: birthday blues. And yes, it’s more common than we think, especially as we…
Held by Grace part 3: Testimony in Color
Looking at Held by Grace now feels like looking at a friend who walked through the fire with me. Stood by me through hard times, accepting my flaws, doubts and rejections. This painting holds pain, yes, but also peace. And most of all, hope. Since finishing this piece, I’ve grown more aware of my weakness…
The Quiet Victories: Finding Simple Joy in Motherhood
By Melinda Castillo There’s a kind of magic in the mundane if you slow down enough to notice it. My life as a mom at present looks very different than it did a decade ago. I have two adults who’s both in college, one unique teenager soul on the autism spectrum, and my youngest, 9,…