I’ve just spent the past three hours looking at 29,000 photos (no exaggeration) of the past years of my life. These are in a hard drive that Ray has and the photos chronicle many events over the past 15 or so years. I have decided to pick out a few, but it’s tough. These are…
Author: lenleatherwood
I am a native Texan who has lived for the past 30 years in Southern California. I am a published author of both short memoir and fiction, a two-time Pushcart nominee, a nationally award-winning writing coach, an editor, as well as a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas. In addition, I am the mother of three grown daughters of whom I am extremely proud, a grandmother of four darling children and the wife of a man I still love after 44 years.
A Brother’s Gift
Mary Lou Holder sank down next to her brother, the one who was dying of cancer, and started pulling on the bright red bow of the gift he had just handed her. “This is sweet, Jake, that you’ve gotten me a present. You know you didn’t have to…” Jacob, twenty-five-years-old, smiled at his younger sister,…
An Unusual Anniversary: My Father’s Burial Day
Today is February 7th and my father was buried on February 6, 1972, which is 42 years ago yesterday. I was nineteen years old and a freshman at the University of Texas at Austin. Daddy died on February 4th, 1972. I regret that my husband and children never got to meet my dad. He was…
Back in CA with a Short Stop to See Baby Luna and Sarah
Ray and I have arrived home in CA from Texas after what turned out to be a very long driving day yesterday (and a shorter one today). The reason for the long day yesterday was a multitude of delays due to ice and snow and subsequent accidents along Interstate 20 and 10 in West Texas….
Stuck on a West Texas Interstate
Ray and I are in West Texas, sitting in our big gray van with Cordelia and Sammie (our Corgi and Scottie) at a dead stop on Interstate 20 West about five miles before the split to Interstate 10. We have been sitting here for at least 20 minutes so far, as have 18 wheelers and…
Lessons from My Parents as I Walk Through Life
Dear World, I have no idea where I’m going, but I fully expect whatever is coming will be good. I believe in the power of thought. I believe in the power of prayer. I believe in the power of people to make a positive difference, one person at a time. My father’s message to me…
Mind-Expanding Work
I just finished working for the past four and half hours with students on essays for their college courses. Wow. Am I ever learning all sorts of information that I might have skimmed over when I was 18 – 22. That is one of the best aspects of my job, I am constantly learning or…
Rest in Peace, Philip Seymour Hoffman
I was saddened to hear the news of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s unexpected death today; it made it worse to learn that he died with a needle sticking in his arm. There is a part of me that thinks, “What has come of us as a society with so much drug addiction everywhere?” We have a…
An Evening Listening to Alison Krauss
I have been sitting watching YouTube videos of Alison Krauss. Alison Krauss with Union Station. Alison Krauss with Dolly Parton. Alison Krauss with Brad Paisley. Alison with James Taylor. Alison Krauss with Robert Plant. I could go on and on and on, but I stopped watching since I knew I would never get my blog…
Congratulations to Three of My High School Writing Students
Today, 11th grader Cameron Victor learned that she had won a Silver Key for short story writing for the Western region of the United States through the Scholastic Artists and Writers contest. The western region is comprised of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. This contest is the oldest and most prestigious…
20 Minutes a Day 