I walked through a jungle made of stone With steal mountains high as I could see. I walked through the jungle all alone Though predators had their eye on me. If unprovoked, they won’t attack So calm I must remain. I look to the front, not the side or back Traveling through rough terrain. A snake, a tiger, creatures unknown, Spiders, lizards, and bears Are lurking about this jungle of stone So I must pass through with care. My feet are blistered, my muscles are sore I’m dirty, scared, and tired. I fear that I can walk no more But if I stop, I’ll surely expire. I look up above and what’s that I see? The sun is peeking through, High above the cement canopy I don’t have much left to do. A few more steps and I’ll be safe Inside my secure, warm home. A few more steps, I’ve made it now. Out of this jungle of stone.

My little sister is officially a grown up and officially in the Air Force. She just graduated Air Force Tech School and before that, the 8 grueling weeks of basic training. Her entire family is beaming with pride today as we stare at the picture of her in the neatly tailored dress uniform and blue beret. People say that the military forces you to grow up and although I have seen many military personnel who will never grow up, I think the statement is true for Erica. It was true for me as well. I understand the feeling of pride and accomplishment, and doing something so rare among your circle of friends who are working as managers in the mall, handling fast food, or don’t know what they’re going to do yet. Wasn’t it only a few years ago we were the same? During my senior year of high school, the thought never entered my mind, but a year and a half later there I was. In ROTC, and then airborne school, where the military became real to me for the first time. Airborne school was the fi...

My puppy, Joy, and I walked outside on a windy, spring evening. Still clumsy and a poor judge of distance, Joy often stumbles and trips over herself. Walking downstairs sometimes causes her to tumble head over feet, exposing her pink, puppy tummy while she lets out a startled yelp. Now that spring is here and the critters of the neighborhood are finding the courage to emerge from the safety and warmth of their homes, Joy is discovering that it might be fun to chase and bark at squirrels and birds. Which she does quite well now. I don’t mind it though. She rummaged through the leaves on the ground with her nose pressed deep in the grass and dirt, smelling all the new scents that now filled her world since the snow disappeared. Soon she found something that fascinated and amazed her on such a level, she had to have it. She must not let this treasure get away. She would carry it and protect it with her life. It was a big stick. She clamped her teeth around the stick only to find that th...

Wet, dark came the rain. Just when I thought it would cease, The rain starts again. Tears fall. Hope fading. There! The sun through angry clouds. The trick is waiting!

When we moved from our 4-bedroom house with storage space, closets, washer/dryer, yard, and cabinets into a tiny apartment with none of the above, I had to get rid of a lot of stuff. I sorted through, item by item, letting go of things I kept with me for years for no real reason. One of the more difficult things to say farewell to was over half of my record collection. All of my music is now on my computer and ipod and I realized that I scarcely, if ever, listened to records anymore. Furthermore, many of them were scratched or broken and they take up a lot of room. While doing housework yesterday, I decided to dig out and listen to the records that “made the cut.” I soon found it very interesting that those who know me the best could probably guess every single album I kept. Because they’re my influences, they’ve become part of who I am, and each one holds a memory that is to me, as clear and vivid as a color photograph. First I listened to my favorite record, autographed by the m...

I loved my wedding day. It was filled with beautiful details that represented Eddie and I from the flowers to the guests to the location. I’ve held off writing about my wedding day because although it’s clearly a huge part of who I am, I don’t want it to come off sounding cliché or cheesy. So rather than writing about the moment we “became husband and wife,” or said our vows, or had our first dance as a married couple, I’ll tell you the story of how we got a free 8 x 10 wedding photo. Let me start by explaining some of the wedding planning. We had 4 months to plan the whole thing. It would take place in July while I was on mid-tour leave from the Army Soldier Show. Eddie would take leave as well from Fort Bragg, although he still had to be kind of sneaky about it (Read the Frog and the Owl Valentines Day, Moment 10). In short, the Army has a policy against fraternization and we were breaking it by getting married. It was a bit of a juggling act. Eddie was in North Carolina, I was all...

How is it that I know so many things in my head, but when it comes to applying them in life, I suddenly forget them, don’t believe them, or just ignore them? It isn’t until someone or something completely unexpected comes along and puts them in a different perspective – a way I can relate to – that the light bulb comes on. Two plus two equals four. Yesterday, I went to a musical theatre workshop taught by Joanna Gleason , an accomplished TV, movie, and theatre actress. I had no idea what to expect and suddenly became very nervous when I arrived and the other students were buzzing about how star struck they would be when she entered. Because, to be totally honest, I wasn’t exactly sure who she was. I’m from Nebraska, okay? Sometimes it’s like living under a rock. In addition, I had never heard most of the songs that the other students brought to work on. The criteria said to bring two Broadway standards. To me, that means Cats, Evita, or Chicago. Again people, Nebraska…rock…you unders...