"Excuse me. It's my time to talk." Ugh, it's frustrating when someone doesn't honor your voice or respect your ideas. When it's your time to speak, they should at least be quiet, and you shouldn't feel bad for wanting to ...

These days, helping others is on point. It's the best thing to do – not just for them, but for you. Everybody's happy when you work together because it makes the task a little easier, and learning is better when ...

You're beat down. Tired, ready to rest, just plain done. So much racism, so many politicians doing so many things. You're wiped, laid low with no more go, and you're not sure you have the energy for more of this. ...

Please and Thank You. Those were The Magic Words you learned at your mother’s knee, the ones that opened doors and gained favors. That was also when you learned something important, as you’ll see in “My Own Words” by Ruth ...

Either, or. The choice is yours: do you pick one thing, or take the other? Stay where you are, or reach for better? This or that, any way, you always have to decide: do you take either, or... as in ...

Did you see that? Sure you did. You couldn't miss it, actually, because you can spot hatred, discrimination, and bad trouble a mile away. You know when something's wrong and you saw it; saw it coming, in fact, and you ...

Sometimes, things change in a minute. You look, and it's one way. You look again, it's different, and you didn't even see the change happening. You might not like it but that never matters. As in the new picture book ...

You hadn't seen that container in ages. You really can't remember when you put it on the shelf. Sometime this year, six years ago, when you moved last? What's in it must be worth something, though, or you wouldn't've saved ...

Your last regular paycheck has come and gone. That was awhile ago, back before you were downsized / laid off / reassigned right out of a job and you're not sure what to do. Your savings are nearly gone, your ...

How is it that there's never enough money? No matter how much comes in, more goes out, even when you work hard, scrimp, and save. You can't keep doing this, don't know how long you can keep your nose above ...

That little face holds so much expectation. You meet the eyes of your grandchild, and you know you have a big job ahead of you. She expects you to love her as much as she loves you, and you do. ...

Remember the time you couldn't find your Mom? Maybe you'd just rather forget when that happened because it was probably really scary. First she was there – then she wasn't, and what did you do? If you looked for a ...

Step right up. When you want to be first in line, that's what you have to do: get in place at the head, let everybody else queue behind you, and lead them forward. You might have to show them how ...

The first note had your foot tapping. It didn't stop until the set was over or the LP needed flipping. The song moved you; those words meant everything. And the singer of those tunes? She was the entire reason those ...

The guy with the white hat has a nice horse. The guy with the white hat has rugged boots with spurs like stars on his heels. He wears crisp jeans, a starched shirt, a big belt buckle, and a bigger ...