I was thinking today about how my brother George faced one of the greatest adversities of his life shortly after he got sober. His life changed abruptly after a small, non-healing sore in his mouth was diagnosed as cancer, and two weeks later he was at M.D. Anderson preparing to have his jaw and the…
Tag: life
The Practice of Noticing What’s Good
10 Things I Like About Myself If someone asked me to make a list of what I like about myself, I might hesitate at first. It’s not something most of us do very often. But there’s real value in pausing to acknowledge what’s good, solid, and true about who we are. Here’s what came to…
Two Days Until Spain: Lessons in Timing (and Packing)
Ray and I are headed to Spain on Thursday, a few days ahead of the Story Circle Network tour and writing workshop that begins on Monday. I am wrapping up my college and graduate school admission work with my students tomorrow, and so far, so good. All the personal essays and personal statements are strong,…
Eulogy for My Beloved Sister, Leslie
My older sister’s birthday is tomorrow, so she’s been on my mind. This is a repost of the remarks I made at her funeral back in March 2012. Good afternoon. My name is Len Leatherwood and I am Leslie’s younger sister. On behalf of my entire family, I’d like to thank you for coming today…
Raising Cane: Lessons from Winnie Waugh
I wrote this a while back, but wanted to share it again in honor of my grandmother. My grandmother, Winnie Waugh, walked with a wooden cane for as long as I can remember. This cane was made of smooth, polished, dark brown wood and was very plain—a simple curve at the top for her hand…
The Shoes That Have Carried Me
A list of the types of shoes I’ve worn over my life: Kid’s Keds. A favorite of mine when I was little, white and navy blue. Patent leather little girl shoes for special occasions like Easter or Christmas (in white or black). Flip-flops, which, when I was growing up, were referred to as “thongs.” Pink…
25 Lies Writers Tell Themselves (and How to Fight Back)
One of the biggest challenges in writing is quieting the negative self-talk that can paralyze creativity. Below are 25 common thoughts that often surface—followed by a method I’ve discovered that helps combat these discouraging messages. Why I tell myself I shouldn’t write today: How to Combat Negative Self-Talk Set a timer, pick up your notebook…
In Conversation with Myself: Work, Marriage, and Adventure
This was inspired by a writing prompt given by one of the colleges one of my students is applying to. It is not a thorough interview, just one aspect. 1) You have clearly done quite a few jobs in your life. Was that by design or did that just happen? I started out as a…
We’re More Than Labels
Today, I did something a little unusual. I was tired and while resting I started mentally listing all the people I knew growing up. I’m from a little Texas town of 7,000, and there were 125 people in my graduating class. Most of those people started with me in first grade and went all the…
The View From Here: On Family, Writing, Faith, and the Peace of Enough
When I was younger, I imagined that by the time I reached this stage of life, I’d have quite the list of accomplishments. Surely, I’d be well-traveled, widely read, impressively fit, financially successful, and the proud author of at least three books—all while raising a wonderful family and enjoying a happy marriage. The reality looks…
20 Minutes a Day 