Holly Dickson-Ramos's Blog, page 9

Happy Peru Day – Felices Fiestas Patrias

Have you ever prepared for a celebration with a vision in mind of how it will unfold, only to find that reality doesn’t match? A week ago the thought of celebrating Peru’s independence day hardly crossed my mind. We’d been sick for weeks with a clingy stomach flu and we were eating just to survive.... Continue Reading →

Happy Peru Day – Feliz Fiestas Patrias

Have you ever prepared for a celebration with a vision in mind of how it will unfold, only to find that reality doesn’t match? A week ago the thought of celebrating Peru’s independence day hardly crossed my mind. We’d been sick for weeks with a clingy stomach flu and we were eating just to survive.... Continue Reading →

Magic in the Mess

Do you shy away from situations that scare you? Try to keep life tidy to stay safe? Doubt that there’s any beauty to be found in a mess? Recently an old friend sent me a card in the mail. At first glance, it seemed garish and ugly to me, but then I looked closer and... Continue Reading →

I Grew a Cabbage!

Laced with tiny holes and not, perhaps, the most beautiful cabbage you’ve ever laid eyes on, but here it is. I am so delighted! In past years I’ve had some success with carrots, zucchinis and cherry tomatoes, but could I really coax a seed to germinate, and then baby it a while, transplant it and... Continue Reading →

Love You Forever

Sometimes I feel as though the girl I was and the woman I am are two completely unrelated people. There are similarities, of course. But life is so full of bumps and turns and chances to change… each year molds me into a person who is a little different from the year before. I think... Continue Reading →

My World in Your Hands

I have a problem. Worried about those I love, I often strategize ways to make everything in their lives (and my own) turn out well. If I identify potential pitfalls, prevent mistakes and generally arrange matters in life, I can shape the future. My happiness (and theirs) is safe with me. I’ve got this. Or... Continue Reading →

Moss, Radishes and Chicken Soup

Tiny flowers on Irish moss, ruby radishes ready to eat and a gift of homemade chicken soup all make life lovely, even when stomach flu has us sluggish, shivering and sleep-deprived. A heat wave hit our city two days ago and my radishes bolted. I read on-line that once they do this they become bitter,... Continue Reading →

Weak and Strong

Most of us start life full of energy and enthusiasm. We’re young, able-bodied and eager. Then comes a shift that many of us go through, from invincible to fearful. What moved you along this path? It could be something as seemingly insignificant as bullies at school or as huge as a brain aneurysm. For author... Continue Reading →

Stay Home Sushi

My first taste of sushi was in a home kitchen. A boy named Marcus took me to his house – he was deliriously excited about showing me his bunk beds – and his mother made us sushi for dinner. I taught day care for a few years just after college, and Marcus was one of... Continue Reading →

Captive Thoughts

Although practical challenges are tough – fixing something that is broken, tidying something that’s a mess, walking a long distance – I think, for all of us, mental and emotional challenges are tougher. You know what I mean. All of us deal with fear, anger, pride, resentment, unfulfilled longing, rejection… bad experiences can leave us... Continue Reading →