The Sophia Project

We walk together over the old bow bridge, just after dark, on a perfect spring evening. The dog walks between us, our small sentinel, our shadow. “I need to talk to you about something,” I say to him, my heart rising in my throat. I quickly follow with, “This is not a break-up conversation,” because [...]

On Sunday afternoon, I had the great privilege of hearing and briefly meeting the Blind Boys of Alabama, a gospel group that has been singing together for over 70 years. The Blind Boys met at the Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind in 1939 when they were nine years old. Over many decades, several incarnations, [...]

Every morning I walk my dog past a small garden. There are late season crops planted there, just starting to rise above the ground, tiny and green and fragile. Each morning, I marvel at their strength and vulnerability. I imagine them outside all night, in the dark, cool air, unattended, waiting for the sun to [...]

Women hold up half the sky. ~ Chinese Proverb For four and half years, I have donated $30 every month to an organization called Common Hope. Common Hope serves over 8,000 impoverished children and adults in 16 villages in Guatemala through integrated programs in education, health care, and housing. In case you don’t know where Guatemala is located (as [...]

Hey, you. It’s me. Your future self. I can see that you’re worried. Your forehead is all bunched up, your shoulders hunched and tense. It’s been a while since I’ve seen that easy smile. Your laugh has been under lock and key for far too long. I’ve lived through what you’re going through (literally) and [...]

It’s Valentine’s Eve. I confess I’m not a huge fan of Valentine’s Day. It just feels so… forced. Last night at Walgreen’s, on my way to the check-out counter with contact lens solution and Emergency-C, I found myself lured into the seasonal aisle, drawn in by the bright pink and red boxes of sweet and [...]

A bunch of my friends found love this fall and winter. Last spring, it seemed like everyone was getting divorced. So, for the sake of my friends’ happiness, I like this season a whole lot better. I’m always astounded by how a new relationship can turn a life on a dime. My friends who are [...]