Mobile, Alabama has never been a city on my “to visit” list, but sometimes life presents you with an opportunity, so you just go with the flow and enjoy the ride. Such an opportunity presented itself when I recently flew from Savannah to Atlanta to Mobile. I had one specific goal: obtain my Global Entry …
Southern Hospitality Awaits You in Mobile, Alabama Read More »
If you are like millions of Americans ready to travel abroad, you need to put your passport application process in high gear today to ensure you can globe trot sooner rather than later. Unprecedented global travel is leading to delays in getting your documentation. The State Department announced this week it is taking travelers 10 …
Planning a Trip for 2023? Be Aware of Passport Delays. Read More »
I think it’s the best $35 I’ve ever spent in my lifetime. I recently purchased a day pass for the Tierra Tropical Beach Club and Restaurant on the Riviera Nayarit near San Pancho, Mexico and experienced a slice of heaven while on a combo work/pleasure trip. For 663 pesos, I was provided a breathtaking view …
Discover Tranquility and Sophistication at Tierra Tropical Beach Club and Restaurant Read More »
Welcome is what you feel when you enter Half-Mile Farm, a luxury country inn by Old Edwards in Highlands, NC. The staff is congenial and unassuming and immediately makes you feel like you’ve come home for the weekend to visit old friends. As I entered the Inn, there was no stuffy formal front desk …
I used to believe that if I booked a plane ticket, I would arrive more or less on time. Those days are long gone! Especially during the holidays, air travel can be a disaster. With delays, cancellations and airline staff shortages, I’ve had to rethink air travel so I could gain more control over my …
Last Minute Air Travel Glitches Have You Grounded? Ride the Rails Instead. Read More »
I recently saw this farewell sign in Antigua while traveling to the Caribbean. On this island, banner signs are hung to communicate the funeral notice of beloved members of a church and denote the sunrise (birth) and sunset (death) of the person. It reminded me that after my sexual assault, I felt like I had …
Surviving a traumatic experience can leave residual pain, suffering and loss for years. It did for me after I was sexually assaulted in 1990. I knew I had an overwhelming sense of loss of faith in the world as I had known it, but it would be years before I connected it to having grief. …
When tragedy strikes, the world seems to stop. It’s hard to imagine moving — much less moving forward — ever again. If you were anywhere on social media or the news this month, you saw the massive container ship ‘Ever Given’ get stuck in the Suez Canal. For almost a week, this one ship paralyzed …
I recently completed a bible study and we used \”Choosing Forgiveness\” by Nancy DeMoss as the guide. Throughout the three-month study, I was reminded how pockets of bitterness can take hold and thrust me into a backslide to an unforgiving heart. Here are a few takeaways from her book that helped me grow as a …
Forgiveness is hard. Forgiving someone who has hurt you is absolutely one of the most challenging things to do in life….it was for me. You might say you have forgiven, but what happens when you don\’t FORGET. If you are like most of us, you can get to a point of forgiveness and actually feel …
Is the road to forgiveness easy? No. Is it possible? Yes. Read More »
It\’s been 9,862 days since my sexual assault occured 27 years ago today. Over the decades, I have been tormented by fear, anxiety, and loss of trust in the world. I have wept, grieved, and experienced one of the most horrific things a woman can endure. But today, I stand here a stronger …
Restoration from Sexual Assault is Attainable…Look at my Life Read More »
After I was robbed and sexually assaulted in 1990, my body, mind and spirit went into overdrive. It’s the fight/flight syndrome that’s common when people experience something horrific whether it be a natural disaster, crime, or any life-threatening event. My nervous system stayed in this perpetual state for 20 plus years which unfortunately led to …
Is Peace Attainable after a Life-Threatening Event? Read More »
I recently was asked to speak to a group of high school girls about violence against women. As I got dressed for this speaking engagement, I decided on a whim to do something I had never done before. I would layer my clothing so that I would reveal a strapless dress underneath my maxi dress …
In December, I got an intriguing email from Angela Klocke who asked if she could “walk” in my honor. Interested and a bit surprised, I asked what this meant. She explained she leads a project called Scars and Tiaras where she focuses on speaking out and creating awareness about domestic violence and sexual assault. Angela …
It’s difficult to sit down with a reporter and entrust that person with your story. You fear the column won’t come out right, will somehow misrepresent your life–will be just …wrong. But not so with Gracie Bonds Staples, a veteran newspaper writer who wrote about my sexual assault in the Atlanta Journal Constitution last week. …
AJC Lifestyle Writer looks at hard news through different lens Read More »
