Nine years ago tomorrow my 79-year-old dad got on a bike to get a little exercise, was three blocks from home when he collided with a car, suffered blunt force trauma to his neck, and then died almost instantly. There have been many times I’ve wanted to change the reality of that description above. Sometimes … More Gratitude versus Greed
In this episode, I’m with my co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and we are talking about the courage to keep trying. We open the podcast with some laughter about some silly stories with my kids where I’ve made mistakes. And it paves the way for a deep conversation about risk-taking, trying new things, and the journey … More Episode 42: The Courage To Keep Trying with Vicki and Wynne
When we brought our puppy home in early August, the weather was sunny, with 14 hour days and warm nights. The cushions were out on the front porch furniture and the doors to come inside were open 80% of the time. And our cat refused to meet the new puppy. She preferred to stay outside … More We’ll Call it Courage Anyway
In this episode, I’m with my co-host, Dr. Vicki Atkinson, and we are talking about choice and my journey to parenthood. Following up on the question a pre-school teacher asked me about how I became a parent, I share the story of how I started a family as a single person. From the fertility clinic … More Episode 40: The Power of Choice with Wynne Leon
Image by Jordan Benton by Pexels. Sweat dripped down my back. I told myself that it was from the many trips my parents and I had walked up and down the stairs in the summer sun, lugging my bags from the car to my college dorm room. I knew better though. I was nervous about … More Sink or swim moments
When my mom recently replied to me with a sentence starting, “You must understand,” my attention suddenly focused. Understanding my mom has always been harder for me than it was to relate to my dad. He and I shared the same big picture approach to life. Whereas my mom is so much more detail-oriented that … More The Courage to Ask Questions
I saw a sweet father-daughter moment the other day as a new driver slowly circled an empty parking lot with her father (I presumed) riding along – pointing and directing as they swooped and turned and practiced parking, reversing and cornering. I smiled as I passed them and thought about my dad, Sonny, and what … More Courage Behind the Wheel
The other night, we were snuggled up at bedtime, when eight-year-old Miss O said, “I asked all my friends at recess to play with me and they all said, ‘no.’” Four-year-old, Mr. D hadn’t shown any sign he was tracking until he chimed in with, “Amelia [one of his classmates] says I can’t follow directions.” … More Congratulations for Staying In The Game
I’m going to tell a less-than-flattering story about myself. A reminder to anyone who thinks life with Vicki might be all sunshine and rainbows. Oh, good gosh, no. Whether it’s control related or my potent ego, always thinking I know best, I can be a real pain in the posterior (and isn’t THAT a fine … More Mum About Mums
I told a rather light-hearted tale on my personal blog this morning. A brief glimpse into what I remember as a rather courageous act for someone who was not often willing to stand up, or stand out. I remember it mostly as a first glimpse into what being bold and brave might feel like. At … More Defeating Trauma With Courage
The Heart of the Matter 