Clara Elizabeth Forrest was one of my first friends. Our mothers were best friends. There is an unofficial club for the children of teachers; Clara and I were amongst them. This automatically meant we had playdates after school and summers together. I moved away from...
As a little girl, I dreamed of being a ballerina. I loved the fluffy pink tutus, sparkles, and the idea of gracefully leaping through the air. Even my favorite books were about ballet: Best Friends Wear Pink Tutus and All Tutus Should be Pink. Lucky for me, I got an...
My days used to be spent on the York River, basking in the sun and swimming in the salty water. Virginia summers were free and glorious, full of potential. One morning, I found a book in my father’s library called Pirates on the Chesapeake; from that morning on,...
I started volunteering when I was a young girl, and to this day, I love it. Volunteering your time and skills can bring so much joy to others and, in doing so, joy to you. My first volunteer job was with my Girl Scout troop: visiting senior citizens, caroling for...
There is a stretch of road in my hometown that used to be a dense forest which is now lined with hideous townhouses. Whenever I go by there, I am transported back to being 6 years old. It was in this hundred acre wood that I discovered what it was to discover, to be...
Christmas is my favorite holiday. It’s more than Santa and presents and food, though: it’s about coming together to share in something that makes everyone feel good. It’s about charity and kindness, about making the world a little bit better of a...
