It's Dana's BIRTHDAY!

February 22, 2016 by Dana Andrews

Did you just hear that noise?

I did! It was my own heart...happily beating away! And since you are reading this, I am thrilled to know that your heart continues to beat, as well! You see, we are survivors, and every now and then, we need to be reminded of that.

Those endless nights we cried ourselves to sleep, and those days we wished had never even begun...They are over. We have turned that page- and are busily rewriting our own story. Oh, we have so much time to make up for and wake up for!

Dana Wrote a Buffet... For YOU!

February 12, 2016 by Dana Andrews

This is a blog post long-in-coming. I kind of wonder if it's been in my heart all along, waiting for today to come. Today is finally here, my friends. And so are you.

If you are reading this, I celebrate that you, too, are HERE. Whatever happened in the past can stay there. We are here, we survived, and we have today to just "be." No marching band to keep in step with, no flags to signal the beginning or end of a race. I've already signed you up for this one!

Seasonal Offerings to the Soul

February 05, 2016 by Dana Andrews

I get it. It's been a while since glorious, golden rays of sunshine have warmed us and sweetly serenaded our sleepy souls. Old man winter seems quite content to cover us with a white blanket of wonder. While at first most magical, snow makes us ache for all things spring.

I've often found it curious how Mother Nature knows when to remind the bulbs beneath the frozen soil to awaken, then bloom. The sweet, sweet cycle of life.

Winter in My Heart

February 01, 2016 by Dana Andrews

In my own world, this past week has been anything but complacent. Yes, I write this post with tears in my eyes. This past week, three close friends lost someone they loved; one 25 years of age, another barely 30, and the last in his early 50’s. The two youngest two of these three died from cancer.

Clearly, the medical field has made great strides in some areas of cancer research, yet not enough in others. So many people have lost their lives to cancer, and far too many continue to brave this battle daily. I don't know when a cure will finally be found, but I do know this: we need to find a way to carry on a legacy for our loved ones who are no longer here to do this for themselves. We all know that is what they would want.

Get Out of Your Way!

January 23, 2016 by Dana Andrews

Hugs. I mean humongous, humble hugs that surround and soothe your sensitive soul. I speak about the kind of hug that makes us feel worthy and welcome. A gesture that sparks and strengthens the warrior within us, inspiring our will to overcome our abuse while reaching out to others still stuck in its stinging stronghold.

Sometimes our pain paints a cloud over our real needs. It gobbles up our personhood and becomes a brutal beast that swallows us whole. We become the sustenance for the pain that makes us its prey. Oh, really?