The hawk, my dad and me
July 28, 2016 would have been my dad’s 87th birthday. He has been gone for five years. He was my mentor and friend and of course I miss him like crazy. Grief is a...
July 28, 2016 would have been my dad’s 87th birthday. He has been gone for five years. He was my mentor and friend and of course I miss him like crazy. Grief is a...
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...
“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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
“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...
Career Happiness / Inspire / Work
by Murphy · Published July 25, 2014 · Last modified December 20, 2020
Most people, at some point, fantasize about being a freelancer, working on their own and coming and going as they please. Usually the conversation goes something like this: “Boy, I wish I could work...
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...
(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...
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...
  (Erma Bombeck, February 21, 1927 – April 22, 1996) When I think of someone like Erma Bombeck, who was so naturally funny and seemed to just slide into the world of writing and fame,...
Authors / Career Happiness / Inspire / Work
by Murphy · Published April 20, 2014 · Last modified February 21, 2019
(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...
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...
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...
 “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...
(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...
 (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.’ ~...
(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...