I recently returned home from a seven-week holiday at my parents’ house. It’s become my annual tradition, and for a lot of reasons. It gives me a good chunk of quality time with my family, and the weather in the South is usually at least 10 degrees warmer than it…
Columns
Note: This column was updated Jan. 29, 2026, to clarify the usage of Medicare and Medicaid. I knew things would change when my mom retired. For one thing, there was going to be a whole third person hanging around our house; for most of my life, it was just…
I had no idea that I didn’t have a “normal” amount of makeup. Despite owning two full bags of products, excluding my brushes, it never occurred to me that I possessed more than the average person. It wasn’t until I brought my kit to a friend to borrow for her…
“How did your parents do it?” People have asked me this many times over the years. It usually comes up when they learn of some aspect of my independence, an accomplishment, or something else that impresses them about the way I live my life in a wheelchair with spinal…
There’s a character in the musical “Wicked” that I strongly relate to. She has the cutest slippers in the film, and her first day at Shiz University barely hints at the whirlwind of tragedies that await her. Throughout the story, she spends much of her time trying to prove herself.
It’s that time of year when people are thinking about resolutions, things they can do to improve themselves in 2026. Whether it’s losing weight, gaining muscle, learning a new skill, or going on an adventure, many of us like to set goals, make plans, and hope that, by…
Every December, I write an end-of-the-year column. I try to make it inspiring, or at the very least optimistic, but sometimes I can’t even accomplish that. Last year’s wrap-up was essentially a long-winded way of me saying, “See you never, 2024, and good riddance.” For the most part, though,…
The other day, I got my wheelchair stuck in a doorway. All I wanted to do was see the Christmas decorations at a local coffee shop. Perhaps even enjoy a nice cup of their matcha while quietly watching everything sparkle. Instead, I was wedged in the doorway, pushing my joystick…
Thanksgiving and Christmas are holidays that make me grateful. I am thankful for the birth of my Lord and Savior, Jesus, and how he not only brought me through all the events of this year in one piece, but also made me triumphant in many areas. One of my favorite…
The magic of theater is that it’s live. Despite having a script, cues, rehearsals, and anything else the cast and crew can use to achieve consistency, the live nature of theater means the production remains mutable. You can’t “lock in” scenes like you can with film. Plus, not only will…
