L. D. Parker

A writer without words. That’s been me. I’ve spent the last week trying to figure out how to post about the events going on in this country, and unable to find the words. Like so many of us, I’ve just not known what to say. What do you say to black men you know and love who are in fear for their very lives? What do you say to your children, some of whom don’t understand, others who think it doesn’t involve them? What do you say to yourself when you can’t sleep at night from

Watching Beaches is almost always a mistake for me. Don’t get me wrong – it’s one of my favorite movies of all time, and I seem to be unable to change the channel when I stumble upon it. But without fail, it ends with me crying. Can’t help it. I have the same issue with Armageddon. Ok, that one may seem odd as a tear-jerker, but it’s the end (spoiler alert) – Liv Tyler saying goodbye to her daddy, Bruce Willis, for the last time? Leave me alone, I’m a Daddy’s girl. Off

Did you know there are very lengthy and complex rules for dating and love? Me neither. Yet we hear about them all the time. How soon after a first date can you call? Is texting appropriate in lieu of a call? Does it carry a different set of time limits? When do you have “The Ex” conversation? Who should pay for a date? Is it true that the person who says “I Love You” first loses? How do you win? And on and on and on. As someone who married young and only began dating

Today my family laid to rest my Aunt Anne. She succumbed to cancer after a very long battle that began shortly after laying to rest her husband, my Uncle Sonny, who also died of cancer (although a different kind). Until today I had not cried for the loss, but there is nothing like a funeral to bring up those emotions and the tears simply must follow. Aunt Anne was so much more than just an Aunt. She and my mother were best friends, who then married brothers. They were inc

Have you ever had a truly phenomenal Hug? I mean the kind of Hug where you feel safe, cared about and just knew that the world was going to be ok? I think we all experienced that—or at least I *hope* we all did—as children. Finding it as an adult I think is a rare thing. I have a cousin who is the World’s Best Hugger. Amazingly enough, his wife is a fantastic hugger too. I wonder if that’s what drew them together…but I digress (as usual). He has this ability through a f

What is the definition of Family? Miriam? (That’s Miriam Webster for those of you who are not on a first-name basis with my buddy.) A group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head: Household A group of persons of common ancestry: Clan A group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation: Fellowship There are actually a few more…my favorite of which is “A unit of a crime syndicate (as the Mafia) operating within a geographic area”.

“Rethink the Dream”—A concept I am very familiar with but had never actually put into words until a few weeks ago when my friend, Jessica, approached me about this site. Her request to tell my story and help others make it through experiences similar to mine was intriguing and daunting at the same time. After all, I’m not in expert in anything but my own life—and I would even question my expertise in that. Turns out that was exactly what Jessica was looking for. An ordina