This month, I’ve been thinking about what’s still working.

Partly because of something that stopped working. Oddly enough, during my year of SHIFT (my One Word for 2026), the right Shift key on my laptop has stopped working. (My space bar has been weird too, among other things.) So every time I type, I’m reminded how things eventually quit working as expected.

But it makes me wonder: amid all the ways I feel the world is breaking down, what is still working?

Below are four things I noticed this month.

I’m linking with Jenn and also sharing my previous month’s One Second Everyday video.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

1. Something I Love

• THE WORK OF PINKIE PROMISES

A few weeks ago, I watched my grandson make a pinkie promise with one of his elderly friends.

It only lasted a few seconds, but it still felt important to me.

Sometimes we assume that the biggest changes happen through international treaties or national debates. And maybe so.

But I also believe the world changes for the better every time two people genuinely connect at any level, whether young or old, Black or white, male or female.

These small pinkie promises still matter, working more than we give them credit for, building trust and hope for our future.

(This friend also gives my grandson a lollipop every week; that counts for something, too.)

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

2. Something Sustaining Me

• LOCAL VOLUNTEERS AT WORK

I’m always encouraged when I’m out in my community and see the many volunteer groups that are hard at work picking trash off the roadsides, planting flowers at nursing homes, or running our small-town annual Kiddie Carnival.

For a few weekends each summer since 1957, one of our local service clubs provides volunteers to operate 10 kid-sized rides (ferris wheel, roller coaster, train, and more) for children ages 2-10. With free parking, free admission, and just 50¢ per ticket, it’s a summer highlight for many families.

A few weekends ago we took our grandson to meet up with some of his little friends there. They all had a blast experiencing the thrill of rides and the carnival atmosphere of popcorn and cotton candy.

I appreciate the work of ordinary people who volunteer their time and energy to keep things running smoothly in our individual communities.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

3. Something Carrying Me Forward

• WORKING WITH MY VALUES

The older I get, the more I’ve leaned into identifying and intentionally living my values.

While there are a lot of lists and quizzes to help us figure out our top values, I recently took the Values Bridge assessment (the quiz is free).

Like all quizzes, this one gives you a breakdown of results based on your answers. But it does something extra I haven’t seen before. Instead of simply listing your top values from a list of 16, it shows how your values support—and sometimes compete with—each other.

For example, one of my values is wanting to make the world a better place. Another is having very little desire for public recognition. Those values usually fit together with no problem (I prefer working in the background, not on the stage), but sometimes they create tension. If I want to create change, I sometimes have to be more visible than I’m comfortable with.

Being aware of that tension helps me bridge that gap when it it shows up.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

4. Something I’m Making Space For

• GOVERNMENT AT WORK (SORT OF?)

This is a tricky one. Sometimes it seems our US government does not work at all. We’ve all seen the gridlock and division between parties and politicians.

Yet even in the strain, we see ways that our democratic process does still work, even if slowly and imperfectly.

Last week I traveled to Washington, D.C., with my daughter and fellow volunteers to advocate for reducing gun violence.

We met with staff members from both of our senators’ offices and our congressional representative’s office. While it would have been nice to have met with the actual elected officials, it still felt empowering to meet with their employees who listened carefully, asked questions, and took notes to pass along to their bosses.

Will our conversations create any change in policy? Maybe, maybe not.

But it does create a change in us, knowing we can still use our voices to speak up about issues that matter to us, participating in ways we can.

Now is not the time to stop putting in the work. Happy 250th, America. We’re still a work in progress.

So while my Shift key quit working (and prompted me to upgrade to a new laptop that will work better in many ways), plenty of other things are still working in our world.

• People are still connecting one-on-one.
• Volunteers are still serving.
• Values are still guiding decisions.
• Citizens are still showing up.

Maybe none of these are flashy things with immediate and visible benefits. But they’re enough to keep me hopeful as we move forward.

What do you see working well in your world? Share in the comments.

I’m linking at these blog parties

We’ve almost reached the halfway point of the year, which makes this a good time to check in with your One Word.

How is it going?

Maybe your word is still inspiring you. You notice it often, and it keeps you focused.

But what if it isn’t? What if you’ve forgotten it altogether? Or it will no longer fit in with the second half of your year?

First, it’s okay either way.

There’s no right or wrong with a One Word practice. It’s simply a tool for growth and reflection. And like any tool, sometimes it needs to be picked up again, sharpened, or even replaced.

So, if your One Word has stopped working, here are three things to try. And if it is still working? Keep moving forward with it. These ideas are for you, too. 

1. Take a Word Walk

Before you abandon your word, spend one more day with it.

Take a short walk as you think about your word. Notice anything that reminds you of your word. Ask yourself:

• How have I seen my word on this walk? 
• Why did I choose this word in the first place?
• Where have I seen it show up this year?

Write down a few observations when you get back home. You may discover your word actually has been working, even when you weren’t paying attention. Or not. 

For me, I’ve chosen the word SHIFT for 2026 to help me accept that everything changes.

 

The morning of this practice, I was walking through my neighborhood when I saw a younger neighbor taking her morning run. It reminded me of SHIFT because years ago, that would have been me running. And it would have been my parents walking. Now it’s someone younger than me doing the running, and I am doing the walking.

 

Everything SHIFTS over time, including our bodies and the activities we do. 

2. Use Your Word as a Lens

Sometimes the problem isn’t the word. It’s that we’ve stopped using it.

For the next week, set a daily reminder—or a weekly reminder for the next month—and ask yourself:

• Where do I need this word right now?
• Could this word provide a useful perspective in navigating a current challenge?
• What would change if I viewed things through the lens of my word?

A word that seemed irrelevant a month ago may be what you need today. But if not, look for alternative words. 

I’ve been through a few monumental changes in relationships the past 3-4 years. They’ve been quite jarring and created a lot of pain.

 

But viewing the world through the lens of SHIFT, I’m reassured that while life always has been and always will be full of changes, it still keeps moving forward. With the help of others and the skills I continue to learn and practice, I see that I also continue to change. And keep moving forward too.  

3. Refresh Your Reminders 

Sometimes a word has simply done its job.

Perhaps you outgrew it. Or your circumstances changed. Maybe another word better captures where you are now.

Don’t let the word you chose become an obligation. If your current word no longer serves you, choose a new one. You’re not breaking any rules (there are none). 

But whether you keep the same word or replace it, create a few fresh reminders for yourself of your word. Maybe move your word to a new location, write it on a sticky note, use it as a bookmark, or turn it into a simple phrase:

• I choose peace over urgency.
• Practice courage today.
• Let curiosity lead.

Sometimes a small reminder is enough to bring your focus back to what matters.

After putting together this Puzzle Planter last week, I set it on my nightstand. Before I go to sleep each night, I’ve been turning it upside down as a symbol to SHIFT my mindset from being an open container to a closed one. The day is complete, and there’s nothing more for me to do except rest.

 

When I wake up in the morning, I set the planter upright again, indicating my intention to be open to the new things that will appear in this new day. 

Remember the Goal

The goal of One Word isn’t to stick with the same word for 365 days no matter what.

The purpose is to create awareness and meaning.

Let your word be an invitation to pay closer attention, reflect on your life, and grow with intention.

So if your One Word has stopped working, you don’t have to give up on the practice altogether (although you can do that, too).

Try reconnecting with it. Reimagining it. Or replacing it.

Then keep going.

Share Your One Word Update

Share your own One Word updates in the comments or add a One Word blog post in the linkup below. It will remain open until midnight, Friday, July 10.

You’re also welcome to share your photos in the One Word Facebook group throughout the month.

Looking ahead, the July linkup opens Sunday, July 26.

Question for you:
Is your word still working or not? Would you like to change it? Share in the comments.

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• • Get more One Word ideas here

Link Up About Your One Word

“I can trust that if I just keep working at it, and keep coming back to it, time will help me see things that I couldn’t see before.”
—Laura Vanderkam

A few years ago, I started keeping a time log for one week out of the year.

I expected the results to confirm what I already believed: that my days were too packed and there wasn’t enough time for all the things I wanted to do.

Instead, I discovered something different.

Yes, it did show that I crammed a variety of things into a week. But I was surprised at how much time I also categorized as play and rest, which was good. (I was also surprised at how much time I spend eating in any given week!).

What I learned was my assumptions about my schedule didn’t match reality.

That’s one reason I enjoy Laura Vanderkam’s books so much, including her newest, Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance.

Her message is simple and reassuring: you have more time than you think. She wants us to stop seeing time as scarce and to “fall in love with how we’re spending our days.”

As I read, I took notes on how to practice this book. What shifts could I make in my own relationship with time?

Here are 10 ideas from Big Time that I want to experiment with.

1. Realign My Reading Expectations

Instead of overestimating how many books I can read this summer, I looked at how many reading hours per week I’d previously logged, and then figured out how many books would fit in that time. Starting with more realistic expectations will help me prioritize my summer TBR stack and enjoy each book without rushing to the next one.

2. Stop Saying “I Don’t Have Time”

Vanderkam encourages replacing a scarcity time mindset (I too often say “I don’t have enough time!”) with one of abundance. I don’t know if I’ll be able to authentically say “I have lots of time!” but I’ll try. I want to remember that time isn’t the problem nearly as often as my choices and expectations are.

3. Track Time More Often

I usually track my time one week in the winter, but I’d like to track it in the summer too and see if it’s different. If nothing else, it holds me accountable during that week to use my time a little more wisely because I don’t want to write down that I was mindlessly watching Instagram reels for an hour.

“Time tracking provides accountability. Most people don’t want to document a three-hour YouTube binge on their time logs, so they choose to do more fulfilling things. Then they feel better about the day.”

4. Experiment with “21 Pods”

One idea in the book is dividing the week into twenty-one four-hour blocks (8am-noon; noon-4pm; 4pm-8pm). I’m curious whether thinking in larger chunks of time would help me organize my days differently.

5. Treat Weekends Like Vacations

Vanderkam suggests that people enjoy weekends more when they approach them like mini-vacations. I already do this somewhat, but I’d like to be even more intentional about noticing and savoring those hours. (Granted, this assumes you can do this. Not everyone has that option.)

“When people were instructed to treat their upcoming weekends like vacations, they wound up happier, less stressed, and more satisfied. They spent less time working and on housework. They did a few more fun things than they might have, but most important, they paid more attention to the happy things they did—perhaps feeling more like this time was special.”

6. Dream Big and Plan Small

I love Vanderkam’s philosophy that small steps add up. Big projects feel managable when broken down into baby steps. That’s how I’ve been organizing my bloated folders of digital photos. Just 10 or 15 minutes a night really makes a difference over several months.

“People overestimate what they can do in the short run. They underestimate what they can do in the long run.”

7. Leave More Open Space

I tend to want to schedule everything. But not every hour needs a plan. I want to create more blank spots on my calendar to allow room for spontaneity and for “wasting” time.

8. Make Small Bets

I sometimes forget that not every commitment has to last forever. Vanderkam encourages experimenting with smaller doses. I don’t need to create rigid rules for myself when they’re not necessary (and usually no one is asking me to do that anyway!). So I want to give myself permission to adjust course as often as needed.

9. Think in Years, Not Days

One of my favorite ideas in the book is focusing on the 8,760 hours in a year instead of just the 24 hours we have today. A single day can fly by so fast, but a year offers more time for growth, change, and progress. (Especially when looking ahead. When I look backwards, a year flies by quickly too.)

10. Celebrate Patience Points

Vanderkam suggests celebrating ordinary milestones when you’ve completed a set number of things. I’d like to incorporate this with a writing project I’ve been working on this year. Pausing to celebrate and reward myself for showing up consistently is a good use of my time.

The Gift of Looking Again

After finishing Big Time, I found myself looking back again at my previous time logs. And remembering how surprised I am each time to see how my hours played out.

I have more agency than I realize over how I fill those hours.

The gift of this book isn’t creating more hours or time hacks. It’s about developing a healthier relationship with time itself. Instead of seeing time as something that’s slipping away, Vanderkam encourages us to see it as something working alongside us.

“When you believe in big time, then you can afford to be patient.”

I need that reminder. When I stop treating time as an enemy and start trusting it as an ally, I relax a little more, enjoy life a little more, and focus more clearly on what matters.

Maybe that’s the biggest lesson I took from Big Time: time is always big enough for the things that matter most.

What’s your relationship with time? Share your thoughts in the comments.

My thanks to NetGalley for
the review copy of Big Time

Read more on time:

• 5 Nonfiction Books To Use Your Time Well
  Explore these inspiring nonfiction books on productivity and aging to help you use your time wisely, live intentionally, and read what matters most to you.
• Four Simple Tools I Use to Live with Time—Not Against It
  A reflective Share 4 Somethings post on four simple tools—calendars, AI, journaling, and reflection—that help me live with time, not against it.
• Experiment with a Shift in Pace
  Four somethings about slowing down, time tracking, friendship, and meaningful awareness.

One More Time: What’s Your Name?

We’ve settled in at our table, just me and this young girl from Afghanistan.

I have to ask her name again. I didn’t catch it the first time. Or the second time. Not even when the other adults pronounced it.

And honestly? Even as the girl tells me her name again for the third time—and I do my best to echo it back properly—I still don’t think I’m getting it right.

But she doesn’t correct me.

She just smiles and we go on, doing our best to understand each other.

Learning Each Other’s Language

She’s here at my table because her parents want her exposed to more English before school starts next fall. She already speaks some English, but it’s difficult for her.

I want her to practice reading to me. But the first book we open is too hard for her. She’s 7 years old, but she can’t read the book. Not in English anyway.

We switch to flash cards using the English alphabet. She doesn’t know the sounds of the letters. But she does know the names of each one. That’s something. Plus, she thinks it is fun.

Soon we finish the stack of cards. Now it’s time for reading again.

The Book She Chooses

I pick up a second book. I’ll just read it to her this time, then we can talk about it.

I read the title first. And I recognize this book. Even though the girl had picked it out herself among the other books on the table at the beginning of the hour, she couldn’t have understood the significance of it.

But I immediately get it.

And as I read this book to her now, my heart both warms and aches.

The book? Your Name Is a Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow.

It’s about a girl whose classmates and teacher can’t pronounce her name.

Saddened by this, the girl in the story walks home, vowing never to return to school again.

But the mother in the book turns it around. She teaches her daughter the beauty of names, including hers. She reminds her that names carry stories, histories, and love. She turns names into the beautiful music they are. The girl returns to school the next day to teach that message to others.

I finish reading this story to my new little Afghan friend, whose name I still can’t pronounce.

I doubt she sees the irony.

So I ask her name one more time. And this time, I also ask if she can write it on a piece of paper for me. She can and does.

I study it carefully and try pronouncing it again.

I still can’t say it exactly right.

But maybe I’m a little closer.

Names Matter

Most of us perk up when we hear our name. We’re pleased when someone remembers our name (and even more so if they pronounce a difficult name correctly). It helps us feel seen. That we are worth their attention.

I don’t get to meet the girl’s mother at the end of our session. I hope she is like the girl’s mother in the book. I hope she teaches her daughter the value of her beautiful name, her unique heritage, and this amazing journey she is on.

I’m grateful that, at least for this day, I get to be a witness to this portion of her journey.

I’ll remember it.

And even if I can’t pronounce her name properly, I’ll remember her. Maybe she’ll remember me as the one that kept trying.

Do people struggle to pronounce your name? How do you feel when someone remembers your name?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

revised from the archives

Choose the Things That Are Fragile

I type in the message I want to leave in the comment box beneath a friend’s blog post.

Then the CAPTCHA appears.

You know how it works. Before I can hit “submit,” I need to prove I am human.

Usually that means identifying things like traffic lights or crosswalks. This time, the challenge throws me.

Choose the things that are fragile.

The screen fills with eight tiny squares.

• Four contain teacups
• Four contain motorcycles

I know what they want me to click, even though I don’t think it’s accurate.

I have a very human response alright. But it isn’t what the spam blocker intends.

It isn’t logic. It is fear.

The Birthday Request

My young grandson had been waiting for his birthday for months. He had requested a dirt bike.

That was no surprise. Since he was tiny, he has always been fascinated by any vehicle with wheels. As he got older, he began riding trikes and bikes and motorized Power Wheels with confidence and coordination beyond his age. He’d been a happy passenger on his dad’s dirt bike every opportunity he could get.

And now he was ready for one of his own.

I knew this birthday was coming.
I knew this bike was coming.
But I dreaded it anyway.

Not because I doubted his abilities to ride a motorized bike. Nor did I doubt his parents’ judgment to choose an age-appropriate one.

My fear arose from knowing how fragile a little boy’s body can be.

I tear up when he skins a knee on the concrete after a bicycle wreck. I wince if he runs into something while playing. Add more speed and a bigger machine, and my imagination supplies even more possibilities of danger.

The Fragile Cargo

The birthday arrived.
The dirt bike was given.
The first ride was taken.

And my grandson loved it. Of course he did. And I was excited for him. Truly.

The bike is designed for beginners and doesn’t go very fast. When he rides, he wears every piece of safety gear imaginable. He rides supervised. He rides carefully.

And he rides with pure joy.

Still, I know he can get hurt. Then again, so can any of us. We can wreck our cars. Miss a step on the stairs. Catch a virus we never saw coming.

Life keeps us aware of all the ways things can break.

That’s why the CAPTCHA stops me.

I know I’m supposed to click only the teacups as the fragile items, not the motorcycles too. But I want to yell back, “ALL these items in the squares are fragile!”

Because a motorcycle is now carrying my fragile boy.

And with it, my fragile heart.

What AI Doesn’t Understand

Maybe I understand CAPTCHA’s question better than it does.

I’ve lived long enough to know that fragility isn’t limited to dainty china teacups.

Bodies are fragile.
Egos are fragile.
Relationships are fragile.

Part of being human means being fragile. AI might mimic our words and our logic and, in its own way, our kindness.

But AI cannot wake up at night and worry about a grandson riding a dirt bike.

It also can’t feel the delight we get watching someone receive a much-wanted birthday present and have it live up to their dreams.

AI does not know what love feels like.

A Human Choice

As a human being, I can breathe and bleed. I can laugh and cry. And I can bend and break. Every meaningful thing in my life carries the possibility of being broken or lost one day.

We live in fragile bodies with fragile hearts. We take risks every day, whether we’re getting behind the wheel of a car, starting a new relationship, trusting someone with our story.

Or climbing onto a dirt bike.

Sometimes we get hurt. And sometimes things break. Sometimes we break.

Yet on every morning that we can, we get up and do it again. Move again. Risk again.

And love again. Maybe that’s the real test of humanity: loving even when we know things can break.

To please CAPTCHA and get my comment approved, I click on the 4 teacups. I leave the motorcycles unchecked.

But between you and me, I know the most fragile things aren’t even the teacups.

They are the people.

Let’s keep choosing them.

What fragile thing do you continue to love despite the risks that come with caring deeply?

Share in the comments.

P.S. My One Word this year is Shift. Somewhere between the teacups and the motorcycles, my attention shifted from what was fragile to who was fragile.

More on AI:

• That “Friend” Is Not Who You Think They Are
  As AI becomes more helpful and polite, it’s easy to confuse it with friendship. Think about why human connection still matters.
• What the Algorithm Does to Our Words—and Why It Matters
  How are algorithms changing language through online slang, euphemisms, and emotional manipulation? And what does it mean for our culture?
• When to Ignore GPS (and Listen to Yourself Instead)
  Sometimes GPS isn’t best. Here’s how one road trip reminded me that the best navigation system is sometimes your own intuition.
• Do You Say Thank You to AI? The Bots Are Listening
  Do you say thank you to AI? Are we trusting AI too much? Stay aware of how computers are shaping us.

“There is no such thing as too many books, just not enough shelves.”

I like to read across a lot of genres, so this month’s recommendations should give you some variety. These eight books touch on psychology and spirituality to history, memoir, and classic fiction. I found something unique and valuable in each one.

I’ve sprinkled in a few quotes as well from each book.

[See previously recommended books here]

NONFICTION

1. 100 Things We’ve Lost to the Internet
by Pamela Paul

I loved reminiscing through this list of 100 everyday experiences, habits, and connections that we used to have. Many of these things have disappeared in modern life due to the internet, for better or worse (depending on your perspective), such as:

• Getting lost
• Losing your ticket (although I can lose my digital ticket too if I forget where I have it on my phone)
• TV Guide
• Maps
• Blind dates
• Boredom

“People have always spent lots of time on the phone; the difference is that before, we spent it on actual phone calls. Imagine that.”

~ ~ ~

“What did parents in the seventies do when kids were bored in the back seat? Nothing! They let them suck in gas fumes. Torture their siblings. And since it wasn’t actually used for wearing, play with the seatbelt.”

~ ~ ~

“In my childhood view of the world, kids were either born into a fun-loving, full-color World Book Encyclopedia family or consigned to a boring, beige Encyclopedia Britannica family like mine.”

(I was definitely in an Encyclopedia Britannica family—I was fairly old before I could even understand what the entries meant. I was jealous of my friends who had the World Book set. )

2. What Matters Most
Lessons the Dying Teach Us About Living
by Diane Button

This was a beautiful telling of story after story from Diane Button’s work as a death doula with people nearing the end of life.

So, what did she find matters most? Spoiler alert: “People and relationships are the core of what matters most.”

“To die with gratitude, you must learn to live with gratitude. To die with a joyful heart, you must learn to live with a joyful heart. To die surrounded by love, you must live surrounded by love. To die in peace, you must learn to live in peace. To die well, you must learn to live well.”

3. Give and Take 
A Revolutionary Approach to Success
by Adam Grant

Who ends up more successful: givers, matchers, or takers? Do the most competitive people end up winning the most?

Adam Grant says no. His research shows that generous people—even when they’re literally giving things away—usually achieve the most extraordinary success. (This is Book # 17 for me from Daniel Pink’s 21 Favorite Books list; you can find the list here. It’s been almost a year since I started, but I’m getting there, slowly but surely….)

“Givers reject the notion that interdependence is weak. Givers are more likely to see interdependence as a source of strength, a way to harness the skills of multiple people for a greater good.”

4. When Things Don’t Go Your Way
Zen Wisdom for Difficult Times
by Haemin Sunim

So many great lessons here, and in short doses. Zen teacher Haemin Sunim writes about how to handle disappointment, uncertainty, and hardship with more peace and acceptance.

“Why are we unhappy? The answer is rather simple. We are unhappy because we can’t find peace with what is. We wish things to be different from what is happening at that moment.”

~ ~ ~

“They say that the chance of laughter is thirty times higher when you are with friends than when you are alone. We laugh only fifteen percent of the time because of something that was truly funny, while the rest of the time we laugh because those around us are laughing.”

~ ~ ~

“Which would you rather have? A thousand new followers, or one new genuine friend?”

5. Blessings and Disasters
A Story of Alabama
by Alexis Okeowo

I learned a lot of new things about my home state from journalist Alexis Okeowo. She writes about Alabama’s complex history on faith, race, politics, community, etc. As with most of America’s history, I walked away with a mixture of both shame and pride.

“The way Alabamians think about themselves is due in great part to the environment. All this abundance and its violent settlement—whoever has more force takes the spoils—have bred an entitlement to the land and a defiance to anything that is in the way.”

~ ~ ~

“Alabama has become known for the holidays it still chooses to recognize (three are in honor of the Confederacy) and those it continues to downplay (Martin Luther King Jr. Day is combined into a joint holiday with Robert E. Lee Day).”

(And just Monday we had our annual state holiday to commemorate Jefferson Davis’ birthday, the former president of the Confederate States. Really???)

~ ~ ~

“White people in the South have the most African ancestry of white people living anywhere in the country.”

6. Psychobabble
Viral Mental Health Myths & the Truths to Set You Free
by Joe Nucci

Fascinating! Joe Nucci is a psychotherapist who challenges a lot of the popular mental health advice that we see circulating on social media and everyday conversations. He writes this book for the layperson so it’s easy to understand.

“Myth #6: “Hurt People Hurt People”
Some hurt people hurt people, but many hurt people go out of their way to never hurt anyone, physically or emotionally. There are many reasons why people who do hurt others take those actions.”

FICTION

7. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
by Mark Twain

It has been a few years since I’ve read this classic novel about Jim and Huck Finn as they travel on the Mississippi River seeking Jim’s freedom and a better life. With each reading, I see a little more of Twain’s criticism of racism and social hypocrisy. I read it for a book club I’m in. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make the meeting; I always get so much more out of a book through group discussions.

I bounced back and forth between reading and listening. I found the audiobook easier because I could hear the dialects spoken into of deciphering them from the page.

“Turn him loose! he ain’t no slave; he’s as free as any cretur that walks this earth!”

8. To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee

I reread this classic for another book club I’m in. I’d forgotten some of the key parts of the story about Scout and the Finch family so I was moved (again) at how Attitcus Finch confronted prejudice in their small Alabama town. And even though I knew what was going to happen in the end, I still cried (again) when it did.

I also swapped between reading and listening this book too (yay for public libraries!). The audio version was narrated by Sissy Spacek, who was phenomenal for every character!

“You’ve got everything to lose from this, Atticus. I mean everything.”
“Do you really think so?” This was Atticus’s dangerous question.
“Do you really think you want to move there, Scout?” Bam, bam, bam, and the checkerboard was swept clean of my men.
“Do you really think that, son? Then read this.”

WHAT I’M READING NOW

• A Thousand Ways to Die
  The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America
  by Trymaine Lee
• I Belong to Me
  A Survivor’s Guide to Recovery and Hope after Religious Trauma
  by Tia Levings
• Big Time
  A Simple Path to Time Abundance
  by Laura Vanderkam
• Influence
  The Psychology of Persuasion
  by Robert B. Cialdini
• Why Won’t You Apologize?
  Healing Big Betrayals and Everyday Hurts
  by Harriet Lerner
• Anxiety Rx
  by Russell Kennedy
• The Deliverance of Hope
  The Spiritual Discipline of Writing People on Death Row
  by Wendy Ramage and Jeff Hood

Whatever you’re looking for in a book—practical wisdom, a deeper understanding of human nature, or simply a good story to enjoy—it’s sure to be out there somewhere. There are SO many books to choose from. I hope your latest stack brings you as much joy as my stack has brought me.

Have you read any of these books? Leave a comment with your thoughts—or tell me what book you recommend.

I’m sharing at these linkups

Here are brief summaries and links to posts on the blog, Lisa notes, from May 2026.

• What’s Holding Me Together Right Now—Share 4 Somethings May 2026 (5/29)
  Here are 4 small (and large) support systems helping me through this season: a timer, friendships, books, and wise connections.
• Is Your One Word Trying to Get Your Attention? Try This Photo Challenge {One Word 2026 May Linkup} One Word (5/26)
  Join this One Word photo challenge inviting you to notice how your word shows up in everyday life. Share what you find at our monthly blog linkup.
• Sometimes Courage Looks Very Small: A Small Shift at the Airport (5/23)
  A chance encounter at the Reno airport became a reminder that small shifts in relationships often begin with one brave question.
• I Wonder If His Mama Still Wonders About Him (5/19)
  Sometimes a stranger stays with you for reasons you can’t explain. This man walking the beach with a guitar left me wondering not only about him—but about the mama who loved him.
• A Scroll of Compassion (5/14)
  The Dalai Lama is a great teacher of compassion. This scroll with his words is a tangible reminder of what giving compassion means.
• 6 Standout Books I Recommend This Month (5/5)
  Six standout books I recommend this month—thoughtful nonfiction and powerful fiction exploring connection, culture, love, and meaning.

See previous months’ archives here

Here’s what I’ve been noticing this month: the support systems that help hold me together.

Sometimes that support is a device. Sometimes it is words, both written and spoken. And sometimes it is direct experiences with other human beings. I’m thankful for them all.

Each month I share favorite somethings from Jenn’s four categories. I also share my previous month’s One Second Everyday video.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

1. Something I Love

• SIMPLE TIMER TO KEEP ME ON TRACK

I use the timer on my phone a lot. It helps free my brain from always having to keep up with time.

For the past few years, I’ve also found it extremely helpful to have a timer on my laptop as well. This one has proven to be perfect for me: Horo Timer.

It sits easily accessible in the menu bar and does one thing only: counts down time. I set the minutes I want and hit return. It dings when the time is up.

It’s basic, which may be why it works so well. I appreciate how it keeps me on track.

 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

2. Something Sustaining Me

• FINDING PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND

In addition to our regular trusted friends, it’s also comforting to find a niche set of friends for a specific life stage or situation. Over the past year, I’ve found that in refreshing ways, mostly online, although some in person, too.

Most recently, I attended a retreat a few weeks ago with other moms where we heard keynotes from some of my favorite experts in their fields. It was informative and encouraging.

But what’s sustaining me most are the friendships that came out of that weekend and the ways we’re continuing to stay connected.

 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

3. Something Carrying Me Forward

• LIBRARY BOOKS WAITING FOR ME

Books, books, and more books!

For a few years, I’ve been able to pay a small fee to access ebooks through the Nashville, TN, library system even though I live in Alabama. However, due to recent budget cuts, they ended that option for non-Davidson County residents. I understand why; ebooks are expensive for libraries to provide. Still, I’ll greatly miss having access to their much larger collection compared to my local library system.

Before my access ended this week, I loaded my Kindle with ebooks from Nashville, then switched it to airplane mode so the books would stay on my device until I finish reading them. So for now I’m still stocked with books I really want to read but couldn’t get anywhere else (for free, anyway).

I can’t imagine what I’d do without my Kindle and public libraries.

 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

4. Something I’m Making Space For

• LEARNING FROM AND ALONGSIDE OTHERS

Almost a year ago, I signed up through a program to connect with an incarcerated pen pal. Since then, my pen pal and I have exchanged several letters and become friends.

It’s outside my comfort zone, but it’s important to me—not as an act of charity, but as a way of sharing common humanity with someone different from me for our mutual growth.

Recently, I’ve begun meeting in a Zoom group with other people on the outside who also have an incarcerated pen pal. I have much to learn from these more experienced writers because I’m still figuring things out as I go.

I’ve also been reading The Deliverance of Hope: The Spiritual Discipline of Writing People on Death Row by Jeff Hood and Wendy Ramage, who are facilitating the Zoom group. The book has already been so helpful.

Our care and support can come from the most unexpected places: a timer app, new friendships, a library full of books, and a Zoom room full of strangers writing letters.

Taken together—and along with many other things and friends—they help me keep going.

Who or what is supporting you this month? Share in the comments.

I’m linking at these blog parties

What if your One Word has been trying to get your attention?

This month, you’re invited into a simple kind of noticing: become a One Word detective in your everyday life.

Instead of forcing anything, just pay attention to what’s already here—how your word might be showing up in ordinary moments, places, and interactions. Then, capture those glimpses as a photo, when possible.

You might start to see your word appear through:

• people who cross your path
• ordinary, everyday objects
• small but meaningful moments
• places you find yourself
• unexpected little details

As you take photos, try to include yourself in at least one image—as a reminder that you are part of your word’s unfolding story, too.

My One Word Photos

Here are some beachy places I saw my word SHIFT last week.

It started Thursday night at a pretend beach for my grandson’s Pre-K graduation. He’s shifting from Pre-K to Kindergarten in the fall. (Too soon—I’m not ready for this shift.)

The next day, I shifted to the real beach with my husband.

On our daily walks on the beach, we had to shift our path several times to protect sea turtle nests and flightless chicks. (The “Bird Crossing” sign was a new one for me!)

I shifted from one book to the next all week. This quote below stood out to me. It’s a useful one now that I’m back home and might get jealous when I see others at the beach.

“The next time you find yourself envying those vacationers on social media, pause. Instead of following your gut reaction, take a moment to mentally wish them well. Observe how this small shift replaces the tightness of envy in your heart with warmth.”

Share Your One Word Update

Share your own One Word updates in the comments or add a One Word blog post in the linkup below. It will remain open until midnight, Tuesday, June 9.

You’re also welcome to share your photos in the One Word Facebook group throughout the month.

Looking ahead, the June linkup opens Friday, June 26.

The more we pay attention, the more our words seem to surface in ordinary and surprising places alike.

I’m looking forward to seeing where your word shows up this month—and where mine continues to show up, too.

Question for you:
Where have you seen your word lately (literally or metaphorically)? Share in the comments.

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• • Get more One Word ideas here

Link Up About Your One Word

Is She the Same Woman?

I’m at the airport in Reno on a Monday morning after a conference weekend at Lake Tahoe.

I think the woman at the next table eating breakfast before her flight is someone I met at the conference.

If it is her, we sat together Sunday morning on the short bus ride from our resort to watch the sunrise over Lake Tahoe with the other women attending.

I remember we had a lovely conversation sharing our circumstances and hopes for the future.

But I can’t remember her name. It had still been dark on the bus. And our conversation had only lasted about ten minutes.

Is this even her?

Maybe, maybe not.

I decide to let it go. I stay quiet. Because even if it is her, I don’t have to speak. We only met once, after all.

I eat a few more bites of my biscuit.

But the feeling keeps gnawing at me.

The Smallest Shift

Finally, I stand up. I walk over. I ask, “Were you at the conference last weekend at Lake Tahoe? I think we chatted together.”

And amazingly, she says yes!

It is the same woman.

She doesn’t remember my name either. (And honestly, I’m not sure she remembered much from our earlier conversation.)

But it doesn’t matter. We’re connecting now.

We spend a few minutes talking about our takeaways from the weekend, and before long, she asks if we can exchange contact information.

She tells me she’ll have very little support when she returns home.

I gladly give her my information and take hers.

This stranger now feels like a new friend.

Brave Doesn’t Always Look Big

I’m so glad I spoke up.

Ten minutes earlier, the decision had felt huge before I acted on it. My overthinking made it complicated. Awkward. Risky.

But it really only required a small shift: from sitting to walking. From silence to a question.

And because of that small shift, a new connection was formed. We’ve since emailed each other and will set up up a video chat soon.

More often than we realize, life offers us moments like these. Tiny invitations to move a little closer instead of pulling away. To risk being vulnerable instead of choosing safety.

Not every brave moment changes your life.

But sometimes it changes your day. And someone else’s too.

And sometimes, that’s all it takes to make a new friend.

My One Word of the Year is Shift. And my focus this month is on shifting relationships.

Who’s the newest friend who’ve made? Have any other relationships shifted lately?

Share your thoughts in the comments.