The first photo, which was taken yesterday, is of my neighborhood in Los Angeles. This is the corner of Doheny Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard. On the left is Beverly Hills and on the right is West Hollywood, I live on Doheny Drive halfway up the hill on the left. Sunset Boulevard is the next…
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 Sweet Visit with One of My Former Students
Today, I met with my former student, Michael, who is currently a sophomore at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He wrote me a couple of weeks ago and asked if I’d be in town during his spring break. Luckily, I was and we agreed to meet at Century City Mall where we had lunch,…
Two Prayers For Ukraine This Evening
When I was a little girl, my mother sat down on my bed every night and we said our prayers together before I went to sleep. The prayer that I liked the best and which has stayed with me all of these years comes from the Book of Common Prayer. It seems most appropriate for…
Finally Returning to Church Today After Two Years Away
This evening, Ray and I attended the Ash Wednesday Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church, Hollywood. It was the first time we have physically been back in church in two years. I have attended “church” every Sunday online, but because LA has been such a Covid hotspot, it’s only now that we’ve felt…
A Recommended Read Right Now: Eli Wiesel’s book, Night.
Recently I worked with one of my UCLA students on a paper centered on Elie Wiesel’s book, Night. This is Wiesel’s first-hand account of being forced to leave his home in Transylvania (along with his entire village) and relocate first to Auschwitz and later to Buchenwald concentration camps during World War II. The volume is slim…
In Memory of My Dad, Whose Birthday was February 19th.
Leslie Earl (George) Leatherwood, my dad, was born on February 19, 1903. He was fifty years old when I was born and he died on February 4, 1972, just a few weeks shy of his 69th birthday. I am currently in my 60s and so I understand exactly what my dad meant when he said…
The Russians Are Coming
Olena had no idea what to do. She was tired and hungry and wondering where she was going to sleep that night. She wasn’t used to being displaced. She was used to having her morning coffee in her kitchen along with a nice bowl of corn porridge and white cheese. She was accustomed to bathing…
“What’s Going On?” by Marvin Gaye: An Anthem for Ukranians
Here’s Marvin Gaye with “What’s Going On?” to bring a little hope to Ukrainians who are facing a very frightening experience today. May our thoughts be with these people during this difficult time.
Ukraine Invasion
Innocent people Women Children Men Huddle in subway tunnels Unsure of their fate Unsure of their country’s fate Russian soldiers cross into Ukraine Russian tanks move into Ukraine Russian rockets explode in Ukraine Naked aggression Bullying A war motivated by greed and power Russian Anti-war protesters Bold and brave Arrested by police In a country…
Covid: Still Alive and Well As Evidenced by Two Very Different Outcomes
I had a student on Zoom this afternoon. She told me that she is recovering from Covid. She said she had a terrible taste in her mouth on Sunday and a slight headache. By Monday, her sinuses were aching, her throat hurt, and her chest felt heavy. She took an in-home Covid test then and…
20 Minutes a Day 