Murphy Writes Blog

2

Why the darkest Christmas was my brightest

Ketchum / Sun Valley Idaho (Image Source) It was Christmas 2009 and as in years previous, I traveled to the mountains to spend the holidays with my parents at their home in Ketchum, Idaho,  a small...

0

Adopting a pet for life

  “Saving one dog will not change the world, but surely for that one dog the world will change forever.” ~ author unknown November 3 – 9 is National Animal Shelter and Rescue Appreciation Week...

0

Time, the most precious gift of all

As Mother’s Day approaches I am reminded how blessed I am to still have my vibrant, wise and beautiful mom with me. There are enough things in life that I may, or may not,...

0

Do we need laws to fight discrimination? Yes we do

A friend posted a lovely statement on her Facebook page last week which said, “Instead of making more government laws, let’s raise a generation that doesn’t discriminate.” It’s a nice idea, one that perhaps every generation has hoped...

2

8 woofs of wisdom for the New Year

I am not really one to make New Year’s resolutions, because I think anytime is a good time to make changes, improvements and adjustments. But, during the holidays I spent a lot of free time...

2

Giving your heart to a dog

When you give your heart to a dog, you’re setting yourself up to the inevitable fact that you are likely to outlive them. Life with any pet means a lot of love and companionship, but...

0

Bullying: The hurt that keeps on giving

I was bullied in school. Back then, I don’t think we called it bullying. In fact, I think most people in the 1960s and 70s tended to look at it as “Kids will be kids.” The...

0

Waiting for my inspiration to show up

“Inspiration is a guest that does not willingly visit the lazy.” ~ Pyotr Tchaikovsky I think most writers looking for inspiration have thought, at one time or another, that there is a mysterious power, a sixth...

0

Patience, grasshopper…*

I used to work with a woman who’s favorite saying was,“Never pray for patience because you’re just asking to be tested.” The older I got, the more I understood what she meant, which was, the...

5

A Father’s Day memory

(I wrote this three years ago today, on June 15, 2011. I reprint it here in honor of Father’s Day and my dad Pat.)   I opened his closet door and reached for the...

0

The children are watching…

What I saw: The mom had a vise-like grip on her little boy’s arm as she dragged him over to the bench in front of the store. His little legs scrambled as fast as...

0

Remembering Erma Bombeck

(Erma Bombeck, February 21, 1927 – April 22, 1996) Hiking into the hills with my dog Buddy gives me a chance to empty my mind of worries and focus more on things like who...

0

Rejecting rejection

I recently entered a writing competition in which I thought I might have a fair chance of at least getting a small recognition.  I didn’t actually think I would win the whole enchilada, but I hoped that...

2

Our lives as a highlight reel

Have you ever sat at lunch and listened to a friend go on and on about all the wonderful things that are happening in her life? She just got back from a glorious trip...

0

Navigating the Road To Success

  “The road to success is always under construction.” ~ Lily Tomlin Not too long ago I was invited to give a talk to the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) at Boise...

0

Finding your own voice

(Martha Graham)  “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression...

0

Monday Musings and Motivation

 (Fantastic whimsical artwork and greeting cards by Pamela J. Zagarenski – www.sacredbee.com) “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow.’ ~...

0

The journey IS the destination

(photo credit) “Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.” ~ Greg Anderson  The other day I was standing in a store line semi-eavesdropping...