Category: The Journey

  • Dating and Single Parenting with Eric Levin

    March 24, 2019 All In with Pauline Hawkins Today, I tried something new. Instead of talking to a guest about some cool project they are going all in on, I wanted to discuss topics that are important to us. Eric Levin, a single father, a real estate agent, and a good friend of mine, joined…

  • Geezer Stories with Laura Mansfield

    March 3, 2019 All In with Pauline Hawkins Laura Mansfield is the author of Geezer Stories: The Care and Feeding of Old People, a book that was birthed from a series of Facebook posts she originally shared to help her cope with the frustrations, heartaches and small joys of caring for her aging parents. Laura…

  • A Memoir of Living with Alzheimer’s with Paula Sarver

    February 24, 2019 All In with Pauline Hawkins Paula Sarver is a new author who fell into the publishing world when, after moving her mother into an assisted living center for Alzheimer’s, she discovered her mother’s prayer journal. She turned that journal into An Introspective Journey: A Memoir of Living with Alzheimer’s. Paula joined me…

  • For I Am Yours: The Story Behind the Story

    When my daughter Carol Linn was about four years old, she asked me to tell her a story instead of reading one to her. She loved story time and would beg me to read at least two books a night to her, so when she asked me to tell her a story, I was in…

  • Choose to be Teachers and Students

    My daughter and son-in-law asked me to speak at their wedding. I was honored but also hesitant–what could I, of all people in their lives, say about marriage? The only thing I know without a doubt. With their permission, here’s my speech: As we gather to celebrate your journey together, I want to share with…

  • TED Talk from Sharon Brous: It’s time to reclaim and reinvent religion

    Sharon Brous powerful TED Talk is a great part of the global conversation that needs to happen to heal the brokenness in our world. It fits perfectly with my message of optimistic realism. You can watch her video and/or read some of the highlights below.   4 Principles of Religion Wakefulness. Our world is on…

  • “Captain Trout” by Guest Blogger: Matthew Ferri

    This is one of my favorite personal narratives from a talented student. One of the literary essays we read in College Composition is “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell. Matthew read that and remembered a similar event that has stuck with him. Here is his poignant story: Just about a year short of being a…

  • YouTube, Armor, and Winning the War

    As some of you know, Ian has a YouTube channel (link). He’s been making and uploading videos since he was 7 years old. I have been monitoring his site. I get an email whenever someone comments on his videos, and then I delete and report anyone who makes a nasty comment. He’s been called names…

  • Friday Writing Challenge: I Miss High School

    Prompt: Something you miss I miss high school—not my teenage years but the years I spent teaching high school English. A few weeks ago, I went to the local high school with my son to see his friends play a 10-minute exhibition game as the half-time entertainment for the boys’ basketball game. As soon as I…

  • Friday Writing Challenge: 10 Interesting Facts About Myself

    This week’s prompt: Ten interesting facts about yourself. I’m a first generation American, born from Macedonian immigrants. This fact, however, is not what makes it interesting. What is interesting is what I gleaned from my family and what I have tried to pass on to my children. My parents and grandparents experienced America in a completely…