Christmas on Mason Lewis Road I was sitting in my kitchen a few nights ago. It was disturbingly quiet, which is rare for most of us that have a family. The house was void of all light except for the twinkling Christmas lights on my tree and the new addition of curtain lights that I had proudly displayed a few weeks prior. A feeling struck me very deeply, like it always does during the holidays. I could smell the Christmas cookies that my grandmother made for us every year and I could feel the heat coming off the old stove that my grandfather always had blasted at what seemed like 150 degrees. I could, in the dead of the quiet, hear my aunts and uncles discussing the gifts that they had purchased for my grandparents. I could hear the singing of four cousins, one of those being my own tiny voice, as they planned their annual Christmas play to perform for the family. A play that would be practiced as if it were a Broadway performance, yet would never be acted out in that tiny living...

The Dirty Word in School: Religion   Like many other writers, I too am a selfish typist. I write about things that strike me emotionally and cognitively. Things that I can relate to in this vast world are the things that I feel the most comfortable with. Sometimes, however, my fingers are forced to tap out words that do not grab at my heart strings. Recently, while being asked to write a paper about religion in the education system, I will admit (although not to my professor) that I was dreading this task. I grew up with a mother that prayed daily, was loyal to God in every way, and you better believe that on Sunday morning I was sitting front and center in that church with her. We were barely able to pay our bills just like everyone else in the 1980’s, but guess who always had a Sunday dress and a pair of tights and dress shoes for Sunday school? I did. Churchgoing in my youth was as unspoken as brushing your teeth every day. You simply did it and the option of sleeping in o...

Unsocial Media I did the unthinkable today. The thing that I never thought I would do. I did a thing that will, while excluding the outside world, will make me feel more involved in it. I logged out of my Facebook account. I lost what felt like one hundred pounds within a matter of seconds. What started out as a place that was meant to make us feel less alone, has only alienated us from one another. The people that are standing in front us, the people that we share our dinner with, and the people that we share our bed with have taken a back seat to things that we can’t even touch. And we can’t get enough. We crave the attention and we have stumbled upon a need to make ourselves appear perfect in everyone else’s eyes. Everyone else’s except for our own. We can’t even have a nice dinner at a restaurant without checking in to see what our friends on social media are doing. We also want to be the person who is doing it better than they are, eating at a better restaurant than they are...

Thanks, Praise, and Other Misused Words It seems to me that the best recognition may be no recognition at all. It’s 2019 and it seems now, more than ever, that we are consumed with validation. It’s imperative to us that we be told that we have done an excellent job on a project. No matter how big, small, or vital the task, we look for praise at every turn. We aren’t fulfilled until we have gotten those magical words of affirmation. Of course, praise is always nice to hear, but the words, “great job” are being uttered far too often. They are spoken so much, in fact, that they have ceased to hold meaning. The workplace, our homes, sporting events, and schools are starting to suffer because of it. The workplace provides us with the ability to feed and take care of our families. Inside of that much expected paycheck lies the invisible words, “thank you” and “good job”. We are all guilty of wanting to be acknowledged for the work that we do at home. Whether we mow the yard, clean the...

Be a Better Quitter When we were young, we incessantly heard four words from our parents, teachers, grandparents, and respected elders. Those four words were beaten into us with an invisible belt, or a phantom paddle. Do you remember those four words? Of course, you do. Those threatening words are, “don’t be a quitter”. Words that have the power to shame you in an instant. One phrase that will abruptly halt a pocket-sized thought of giving up. I am wondering, though, in my adult life, why aren’t we quitting more often? Now, I am not suggesting that a student quit a sport team or implying that you quit a job simply because you don’t “like” it. I am a believer in an individual finishing what they have started. I am talking about more important matters that affect us in such big proportions that we can’t afford to ignore them any longer.   Maybe we should talk about painful things that are far too often kept a secret from others as a form of self-preservation. How many of ...

12 GAUGE SHOTGUN MOUTH  The word “consequence” is defined as a result or effect of an action or condition. My fear is that soon, this word will no longer be in the dictionary. We seem more often now than not, to ignore the meaning of the word or it’s existence all together. We have started confusing the word “freedom” with the word “rude”. Our freedom of speech does in no way, shape, or form mean that we can say anything that we want to every second that it enters our mind. Don’t get me wrong, you can certainly bellow out your opinions whenever you feel the need to do so, but there WILL be a consequence. You will in turn hurt someone deeply, lose a friend, and you can even lose your career. So yes, you are “free” to do and say what you desire, but there will be a “consequence”. Seems like a lesson that we were taught in kindergarten, right? So why is it so difficult for grown adults to practice this simple action of being “polite”? The answer lies in the word “intolerance”. ...

UNBURIED TREASURE People make the journey from all over the globe to visit Maysville, Kentucky, yet too many of us are unaware of the beauty that is right around the corner. We are so accustomed to what surrounds us that we take advantage of the fact that we live in one of the most beautiful river towns in America. We don’t spend enough Saturdays on Sutton Street strolling around the Kentucky Gateway museum. When was the last time that you allowed yourself to be mesmerized by that KSB Miniatures Collection? Those little people seem to come alive when given attention. A stroll to the pioneer graveyard behind the museum has its own tales to tell if you will listen close enough. How about a nice long hike at the Cummins Nature Preserve to satisfy your inner wanderer and your need to be one with the rolling hills and creek beds? A trip to Snow Donuts sure would be a well-deserved treat after a five-mile hike, don’t you think? Parc Café is a quaint coffee shop that offers not only you...