“Remember that I am just a woman who is living a very abundant life. Every step I take forward is on a path paved by strong Indian women before me. — Wilma Mankiller

Wilma Mankiller is a name most all native Oklahomans recognize. She blossomed from a little girl in poverty to Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the second-largest tribe in the United States.

I remember hearing the name, Mankiller, in the news about the work she achieved in the Nation as an activist, promoting self-determinism, and Chief. …

From ancestral beliefs to modern advocacy, Oklahoma’s ties to our Native history are self-evident. We’ve shed tears on the trail of relocation and lost tribal territories to greedy land runs.

However, despite our tenuous connections to the land, Oklahoma has also produced great Native champions of the earth. Grace Thorpe is one of those people.

Every student of the early history of this state is aware of the Thorpe family name. Grace’s father was the legendary Jim Thorpe, a famed Olympian, and professional athlete. Grace also contributed to the family legacy in her work as an environmentalist.

But first, let’s…

Political Humor

Yes! I would vote for The Rock, along with 46% of the rest of the country. After Biden’s bid ends, whether it is four years or eight, The Rock may be the rock on which this country can stand. I believe it.

How did this question even arise? In a 2016 interview with GQ Magazine, Dwayne Johnson aka The Rock alluded to broadening his horizons with a future in politics. “The thought of being President is alluring,” he said.

Then in 2018, in an interview on the Late Show, Johnson said he was seriously considering a run for office in…

The other day I went for my yearly routine physical exam. When the registrar, Mary, called me to her office to gather my insurance information, she commented on my new walker.

“They sure come in handy. Mine is a lifesaver. I couldn’t walk from my car to my office if I didn’t have it.”

Curious about her comment, I also noticed she was wearing a portable oxygen concentrator. When I asked Mary about it, she replied:

“I’m recovering from COVID. I’m a long-hauler.”

I heard the term “long-hauler” on the news about the suicide of the CEO of Texas Roadhouse…

“You had the power all along my dear.”
— Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

I believe women, today, are on the cusp of a great awakening. Something deep inside us is responding to a call. A summons to heed a higher mission.

It feels like an ache is lodged within our spirit. A restlessness to do and be more than what we are.

We are yearning for more — of life, love, spirituality, service, and ourselves. But how do we get more? What do we do?

Come go with me to discover…

A few weeks ago, while scrolling through the programming guide on HBO, I came across the series, Lovecraft Country. It is about a family’s experience with racism set in the 1950s with a flair for the supernatural world of monsters, demons, and wizards.

Intrigued, I watched the first episode and was hooked. I think I sat through four shows before the Sandman called my name.

Hippolyta

My favorite part, though, was when the character, Hippolyta Freeman, gained access to a time machine. She used the time portal many times to fix the past, including the death of her husband.

Eventually, she…

I can’t catch my breath. It is too hard to breathe. How am I going to get through this struggle, day after day? I can feel it in my belly like a dark pit shut up, covering my breath.

How do I get through my overwhelm?

There is pain, confusion, and fear sucking my breath away like a cat sucks a baby’s breath. Pulling it out of my body; depleting my spirit.

It seems I’m crushed under the weight of it all.

Where is my help in the darkness? For one thing, I’ve named my enemies and am turning them…

In 1979, an Israeli archeologist by the name of Gabriel Barkay discovered two tiny silver scrolls in a dig outside Jerusalem. When the scrolls were unrolled, they contained the words of the Priestly Blessing:

“The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24–26, NKJ)

Then in 2004, scientists used updated technology and confirmed the date of the find to 600 B.C. which is before the destruction of the Solomon’s Temple in 586 B.C. when all…