The first time I caught Mom walking to the bathroom without me, I said, “I don’t know if I should congratulate you or spank you.” She grinned, “Probably some of both.” But she has kept it up. I place her walker and her slip-ons next to the bed, so she can sit up and get her feet on the ground. And if I’m gone too long, starting breakfast or laundry, she just might be off and running before I get back. Love doesn’t stand still. It’s fearless. And maybe I shouldn’t try to find a line or impose one. Love smiles on Mom, on you, and on every one.

Note: For those who haven’t been reading, when I first brought Mom home, they told me it took two skilled technicians and a hoyer lift to get her out of bed. … More

To forgive is always the right thing to do, but to forgive doesn’t mean to betray yourself or deny the truth. If somebody wants a second, or third, or fourth chance, it’s okay to ask, “Why will it be different this time?” And unless they’re able to spill a heart full of evidence as to why it will be different, you can move on without feeling guilty. Forgiveness frees us to move forward. But it doesn’t dictate that we move forward WITH the one we forgive.… More