Remembering the Haunting Santa Ana Winds
The opening pages of Janet Fitch’s “White Oleander” novel has haunted me since the first time I read it, nearly 18 years ago. It’s in
“Charlotte’s Web” and the Power of Words
Recently, I found myself thinking about E.B. White’s classic children’s story, “Charlotte’s Web.” I’d venture to guess that most of us have either read the
Three Years in Indiana Yielded “A Harvest of Friends”
When I was a kid, my favorite television show was “Little House on the Prairie.” And I admit that I still love catching an episode
My Mom, My Musical Foundation
This photo of me at 22-months old (not even 2 years) shows exactly how far back music has been in my life. According to my
And in a Moment, a Volume Closes and a New Book Begins
Today is a bittersweet day. It’s Sophie’s last day of fifth grade; her last day of elementary school. She’s now officially a sixth grader, bound
How Life Plays Out and the Signs That Guide Us on the Journey
I’ve thought a lot about the ideas of fate and destiny and higher powers and roads taken/not taken since moving to Indiana almost three years
Welcoming Spring and Archiving the Memories and Music of Winter
I never appreciated spring until moving to Indiana and experiencing winter. In San Diego, the seasons are simply dates on a calendar and are indistinguishable
My Adventures as a Generation X Parent Raising an iGeneration Kid
I am a proud member of Generation X. I was born in 1975, making me 43-years-old. My formative years were the late 1980s and early
Receiving and Giving the Key to Unlocking the Door to Writing
When I was in the third grade, my teacher gave us a creative writing assignment. It was the month of December and we had to
Finding Joy in the Little Things in the Bleak Midwinter
Saturday, February 2, is the midpoint of winter, which means we’re halfway to spring. I don’t care much for January and February. And I’ve been
A Tribute to My Dad Through the Songs of Harry Chapin
I’d venture to guess that, unless you’re a fan of 1970s folk music, you’ve probably never heard much about or listened to Harry Chapin. This
Looking Back at 2018: A Year of Awakening
Several years ago, I started a tradition in which my last blog post of the year was a reflection on the past 12 months, both
Looking Back at Nine Years of Writing This Blog
Nine years ago this week — on December 21, 2009 — I published my first blog post and Leah’s Thoughts was born. I like to
What I Know For Sure
I had a birthday this week. I turned 43. It seems like yesterday I was turning 39 and published the 39 Questions Answered About Me
Why Every Writer Needs Their Own Writers’ Room
When I tell people I’m a writer, the response is usually something like this: “That’s so cool, but I could never be a writer. I