It's Easter Sunday. Women and girls wear their new spring dresses. Many go to church to celebrate a risen King. Some stay home with family, cooking up Easter staples like Ham, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato casserole, deviled eggs and other treats traditional to each family. Children wake up Easter morning to dash into the … Continue reading Does the Bunny know Where I Am?
The Pain Doesn’t Stop When The Abuse Ends.
Beth and Michael Barns, brand new foster parents, were excited when their first child, Brad was placed with them. They knew his basic story. They knew he had been hurt. They knew he had been removed from his family. He was shy at first, but polite and obedient... In the beginning. They decided that they … Continue reading The Pain Doesn’t Stop When The Abuse Ends.
Holding Up
Photo by Betsy Biddle Lange While vacationing in the Smokey Mountains one Autumn, I happened across a rock formation similar to the one pictured. Both magnificent and terrifying in sheer size, the onyx colored monolith dominated the median of a boulevard. Impervious to the stream of tiny cars flitting like moths around a porch light, … Continue reading Holding Up
The Sins of the Father
Why do people hurt the ones they love? After 31 years in the Human Services field, I am no closer to the answer than I was when I started. The speculation differs from person to person based on the narrative in their head. From working in both Mississippi and Alabama, I have heard all of … Continue reading The Sins of the Father
Ole Fish Eyes
When I was 15 and 16, my family lived on the Bayou in Lacombe, Louisiana, across the lake from New Orleans. Besides my human family we had a Irish Setter named Hot Dog (my little brother named him) and two ducks: Fritz and Grits (my dad named them). Living on the water was fun, especially … Continue reading Ole Fish Eyes
I have a Story to Tell: Daniel
* I am starting a series of stories crafted through the eyes of people with whom I have met over the last 30 years in Social Work. The purpose of these posts are to highlight the difference a good social worker can make in the lives of others and to remind them (when they are … Continue reading I have a Story to Tell: Daniel
And also the Others
May is National Foster Month. Designated such by President Reagan in 1988 to bring awareness to the needs of children in foster care. Children who were unable to live safely with their parents necessitating their entry into a broken foster care system. Foster Children often enter care with scars; some are physical, some are emotional … Continue reading And also the Others
Fear of Flying
As I write this post, I am sitting in my hotel in Washington DC, preparing to check out after a fantastic mind opening conference by the National Council of Behavioral Health. I am so grateful for the opportunity to hear great speakers and to participate in collaborative workshops that fed my hunger for ideas and … Continue reading Fear of Flying
Water for Camels 