Sitting at the airport Mid-afternoon Watching parents with kids One father four kids in tow settles his gaggle In a nearby row of chairs His littlest son whispers in his ear The father sighs “Come on, everybody” Off they march Like good little soldiers In single file Ten minutes later They return The bathroom mission…
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.
Questions for Mother Mary
I place myself in the loving arms Of Mother Mary A woman who has known Risk, love, and loss I am her child as well Nestled close enough To smell the sweetness of her hair To feel the warmth of her body To hear her gentle breathing, in and out Dear Mother, how afraid you…
Something to Hold On To
My three-year-old granddaughter Likes to always have a toy in her hand A dinosaur A bunny A bear Something to clutch To keep her feeling grounded and safe I wonder what it is That keeps me grounded and safe? Love of my family Faith in God My dogs We all need something A touchstone To…
Luna’s Ninth Birthday Celebration
Today, I made honey-sweetened chocolate buttercream frosting For a homemade vanilla cake sweetened with maple sugar. Our little Luna, our first grandchild, turns nine tomorrow. Our family gathered in Griffith Park for a picnic celebration this morning. We ate turkey sandwiches, put pimento cheese on rice cakes, munched on chips. Then off we went on…
Actively Choosing to Grow
Today I listened to a podcast on self-actualization AKA, operating from our higher selves I love this stuff Who doesn’t want to be self-actualized? I learned that Abraham Maslow didn’t pick someone famous As his model for the most self-actualized person he’d ever known No, he picked his mother-in-law Hmmm. I can see my sons-in-law…
A Prose Poem: I Am Challenged
“Take a step,” my own voice whispers. “You can’t stay here. Life is over there, beyond the now, smiling at you.” A red-tailed hawk glides through the indigo sky. “Come,” it sings, “Life is an adventure. Don’t be afraid.” Turquoise water glistens far below as I step onto the long, rickety rope bridge. I feel…
Buddhist and Gregorian Chants: A Way to Release the Tension of the Day
I have recently discovered the meditative power of listening to Buddhist chanting while I write. I usually listen to Gregorian chanting, which feels familiar given my Anglo-Catholic background. I love Gregorian chants, which connect me to my faith and are directly related to parts of the mass. The Buddhist chants, on the other hand, are…
An Anger Remedy, At Least For Today
Sometimes I have an anger problem. With certain people (insert husband’s name here), I have a tendency to click immediately into righteous indignation if I feel slighted or misunderstood. Having been raised with four brothers, I learned early on to defend myself by coming out swinging. Clearly, I have matured out of that approach (within…
National Vietnam War Veterans Day
Today is National Vietnam War Veterans Day, which, this year, is commemorating the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. Fifty years ago today, the final US combat troops withdrew from Vietnam. Over the years of the Vietnam War, 2,700,000 men and women served and 58,220 U.S. soldiers died. In the 1950s, there…
Emerging from the Rabbit Hole
Dear Friends, I have been away – not physically – but mentally for almost a month. I was present and writing daily, and then one day I was a little too tired and swish, down a rabbit hole I went, tumbling head over heel until I soon landed at the bottom with a soft thump….
20 Minutes a Day 