personal growth – Page 2 – A Grain of Salt

Celebrating 50 years

Published January 5, 2026

Celebrating 50 Years of Women at the U.S. Naval Academy: One Woman’s Story I have long passed my 50th birthday, and Gary and I are almost as distant from reaching that milestone as we are from celebrating a significant wedding anniversary. So, what exactly am I celebrating in 2026? The answer still makes me pause. 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of women attending the United States Service Academies, including my alma mater, the United States…

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A GRAND Week at GRANDcamp

Published July 20, 2025

The dictionary might define “grand” as very good or enjoyable, excellent. But when I was invited to host our two granddaughters for an entire Monday through Friday, I discovered that grand is so much more than a definition; it’s a way of being present in the world. Planning for Excellence I knew from the moment I said yes that I was shooting for something special. This time wouldn’t be just a week of babysitting; this…

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“Does Size Matter?” and Other Questions I Don’t Really Want to Answer

Published May 19, 2025

This past week, with Mother’s Day, I was asked (again):“What’s it like having nine kids?” Now, let’s be clear. Size does not matter. But it can sure feel like it does. Large families tend to invite wide-eyed questions, whispered comments in the grocery line, or nods of awe, as if I climbed Everest with a baby carrier. I get it. Nine is not subtle. But I never chased a number. I wasn’t collecting children like…

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21 Seconds: From Glancing to Gazing

Published May 5, 2025

During this past spring’s spiritual formation program residency, my instructor noted that the average time someone spends looking at a piece of art in a museum is just 21 seconds. Glancing is the hurried impulse to see it all.Gazing is something altogether differenta willingness to let everything else fall away,to focus wholly on one thing. The Cliffs by Jules Breton – National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, Photo taken 3/17/25 The image above is currently…

Walking in the Dark

Published March 31, 2025

As a child, summer nights meant one thing—flashlight tag. It was thrilling, a mix of fear and excitement. Our large home provided the perfect setting. A ledge on two corners allowed us to set the flashlight down, keeping everyone guessing whether “It” was holding the flashlight or if it was safe to sneak past. We knew the terrain well—where the flower beds lined one side, the covered stairs led to the basement, and how to…

The Shelter of Friends

Published February 10, 2025

While February is known as the month of love, I think less about romance and more about the love of friends. If anything, it has been the love of my friends that has supported my nearly 40 years of love with my husband, Gary. We live in an age of increasing isolation, losing the deep social capital that once wove our communities together. I count it a privilege in 2025 to live in the same…