Author: Dr. Gloria K Vanderhorst

GOOD COMMUNICATION

Connection, Clarity, and the Courage to Speak

Communication isn’t just a skill—it’s a lifeline. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how emotional health depends on honest expression, and how learning to speak up is an act of self-respect and relational care.

We are dependent on communication with others. If we do not communicate well with others, we tend to withdraw, feel depressed, and isolate ourselves. We are truly social beings, and we crave connection with others. Even shy and withdrawn, we still need connections to maintain our identity.

Poor communication can damage our health. When we avoid communicating our needs and wants, we unknowingly hold tension in our bodies, which can lead to a variety of problems. This tension is a physical manifestation of our emotional state. Our muscles contract slightly, changing our posture, comfort, and bodily orientation. Our bodies are not designed to maintain tension for extended periods. We ‘hold things in’ to our own detriment.

We have not been well trained on how to communicate with others. Think about your habits. When something “bugs” you, how long do you wait before you let the other person know? How do you communicate your experience? Here is what is expected: When you do not like the action of another, you complain to yourself, then you complain to someone else, and then you think that that has given you relief, and you avoid talking to the person who is bugging you. This avoidance is detrimental to both mental and physical health.

Effective communication is risk-savvy. Figure out what you need to share. Look at the relationship with the person you need to talk to. Choose the time and place for effective communication. Think through your story. Share with the expectation that you will be heard and honored and that the two of you will be able to find common ground, respect each other, and generate a new way of communicating. Too often, we fear our needs will not be met and avoid thinking through how to communicate what we need. We do ourselves a disservice, and we do the other a disservice as well.

Honest communication will bring us closer together as we gain clarity on how the other feels, how they experience us, and how we experience them. I think that one of the reasons we avoid honest communication about our needs is that we grow up in families where the parents have not been well trained on how to communicate with young children. We tend not to take children seriously, think their needs carry minimal weight in the face of all adult responsibilities, and set their communications aside. Children are genuinely transparent and deserve to have their voices heard. Problem-solving with a child can be very satisfying. When you were a child, the experience of not being taken seriously can have long-lasting consequences.

Take yourself seriously. Consider how you feel, what you want to say, and what outcome you would like. Prepare to advocate for yourself. That means thinking through the communication, selecting the time and place, and being confident that your request is reasonable. Effective communication is how you value yourself.

Want to explore how communication supports emotional health? Visit Methodist Health’s guide to communication and mental health, Verywell Mind’s overview of mindful communication, and Positive Psychology’s techniques for fostering healthy communication.

If you’re reflecting on communication, boundaries, or emotional clarity, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and relational growth.

THE PARTY LINE

Connection, Courtesy, and the Lost Art of Waiting

Before smartphones, there was shared silence. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how party lines taught patience, cooperation, and emotional intelligence—lessons we still need in our hyper-connected world.

Anything can be fixed with good communication. I grew up in the era of party lines for the telephone. For those of you who do not know what that means, I will explain. In the forties and beyond, telephone lines were shared among several households, and real people sat at switchboards in specific locations to facilitate these calls as necessary. The phones themselves were large contraptions that you hung on the wall or sat on a table or telephone stand that had a small chair attached. You would commonly pick up the receiver and find a conversation between two other people. You either hung up quickly and waited a while before trying again, or you asked the current parties how long they would be or told them you had an emergency and needed to use the line. You could not use that last one very often, or you would get completely ignored.

Kids often liked to quietly sneak the receiver off the hook and listen to the conversations. Invariably, they would give themselves away by giggling or snickering. The parties would chastise them and yell at them to get off the line. When you got caught by your parents, you would really be in trouble for breaking the telephone etiquette. Party lines taught you to wait and be patient, courteous to others even if you did not know them, and cede time to others.

The elements of effective communication are illustrated in the party line. One: You were connected to others, even if you did not know them personally. Boy, is that true today! We are connected to and dependent on others for everything. Go to the grocery store. Fruit, vegetables, meat, and cheese are trucked in from various places. Fruit used to come from the orchard in the backyard, vegetables from the garden in the side yard, and meat from the cow in the field. Without the dependence on others that exists today, we could not feed ourselves. Garden spaces are exceedingly rare. Some neighborhoods and high rises have garden plots that you can rent or use, but there would never be enough vegetables if the delivery trucks were not coming to the grocery store.

Second, the party line required cooperation and courtesy. Today, our sense of cooperation is present but often not obvious. We depend on others for many things, but we often do not have direct connections. I know that in my neighborhood, I wave to others as we cross paths, but I rarely know who they really are or have extensive conversations. We are connected by covenants and respect for the streets and properties. We tend to apply our sense of cooperation to organizations beyond our immediate locations by supporting non-profits or volunteering at the soup kitchen. As we build relationships through organizations, we expand our reach beyond our neighborhoods. Helping others takes on a new dimension.

Third, the party line taught us respect and patience. Waiting for others to complete their conversation and taking your turn is never easy, and respecting the needs and timing of others can be difficult. Patience is often difficult, especially with young children. Remember when they wanted to tie their shoes or put their coat on alone? That was hard. You could always do it faster, yet the wait was more respectful.

Want to explore the history and etiquette of party lines? Visit Wikipedia’s overview of party line telephony, Southern Living’s reflections on shared phone lines, and Country Adventures’ list of forgotten party line etiquette rules.

If you’re reflecting on communication, connection, or emotional patience, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and relational growth.

ON ICE

Glide, Grit, and the Glory of the Game

Ice isn’t just cold—it’s electric. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how childhood wonder meets athletic mastery, and how skating through life’s challenges can lead to record-breaking triumphs.

One of my favorite Christmases as a child was the year that everyone got ice skates. They were beautiful white high-top boots with a crisp steel blade the length of the sole. I was mesmerized. I had never tried ice skating, but I was sure I would overtake Sonja Henie. A girl can dream. Fortunately, the local reservoir was not far away, and a frozen surface was guaranteed with Indiana winters. Lacing up those boots and toddling onto the ice with trepidation and anticipation was the height of glory. With stable ankles and knees, standing on the center of the blades was easy, and a slight push from the knee down to the frozen water started the glide. What a glorious feeling!

Today, I discovered that Alex Ovechkin has tied Wayne Gretzky’s all-time record for goals. He matched the long-standing record set by Gretzky in 1994, which had previously broken Gordie Howe’s record from 1963. The fact that Ovechkin accomplished this in a year when he also broke his leg is genuinely remarkable. Congratulations, Mr. Ovechkin! You must be beyond thrilled. Breaking the record is inevitable, and another celebration is just around the corner.

If I have done the math correctly, it took 31 years for Gretzky to break Howe’s record and another 31 years for Ovechkin to break Gretzky’s. Spooky! That means Alex Ovechkin will be 70 years old when his record is broken!

I am in awe of the skill it takes to put those skates on and whack a puck along the ice while a giant monster guards the net. The fact that anyone scores a goal ever is fantastic. The strength and coordination required to power down the ice while wielding a large wooden stick in search of a tiny black circle is beyond impressive. No wonder the crowd goes wild when the puck enters the net. Statistically, this should never happen. No wonder it takes 31 years to break a record.

Congratulations, Mr. Ovechkin! The honor is well deserved.

Want to explore the legacy of hockey’s greatest scorers? Visit Wikipedia’s list of NHL individual records, Hudson Reporter’s highlights of historic hockey milestones, and The Show VDG Sports’ deep dive into NHL history.

If you’re reflecting on childhood joy, athletic inspiration, or personal milestones, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and life-stage transformation.

OLD KITCHEN TOOLS

Heirlooms, Renewal, Hidden Talents, and the Crank That Still Turns

Some tools feed more than the body—they nourish memory. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how vintage kitchen tools connect us to family, creativity, and the talents we’ve tucked away for too long.

What old kitchen tools do you have from your grandmother, grandfather, or other relatives? Recently, we had friends over, and they noticed the old meat grinder attached to our pot rack in the kitchen. They also shared that they have an old nut grinder in their kitchen. Who has given you their old kitchen tools that you still hang onto?

This meat grinder was in my grandmother’s kitchen, and I was charged with using it sometime as a child or teen. So, you may be wondering how it ended up in my kitchen. I do have siblings, you know. It could have gone to other places. I know it was in my mother’s kitchen and still in active use there. I do not think it has been active since arriving in my kitchen. I have one vague memory of being challenged by my husband to demonstrate that it worked and successfully pulling that off!

So, how do things end up in your kitchen? You probably have a favorite wooden spoon. I have one that my brother-in-law made. He is a violin bow maker, so kitchen spoons were a bit off track, but one day, he was bored! Of course, the spoon has none of the fancy ivory or gold inlay you find on a violin bow, and I do not think we have ever used it, but it looks lovely.

What hangs around in your world that you have never used? You know the old saying: “Use it or lose it!” We come into the world with what I will call “pre-programmed” talents. Some children are naturally drawn to the piano in the living room. Some are constantly building forts in the backyard or nearby woods. Others love finger paints and graduate to oils or watercolors. We all seek to explore our talents and find uses for these skills, curiosities, and talents that are programmed inside of us.

Some fall by the wayside as we mature, and others become professions that will sustain us forever. Some go dormant and stay hidden away. Who knows the cause of that “hiding”. Someone made fun of how you dressed or wore your hair, so you put that flair for decorating your body away in a storage locker. Perhaps you had a booming voice and were told that you were always too loud so that one went into a soundproof booth. We all have hidden talents. What are yours? It is time to open the locker and let the sound out of the booth. Pick up that flute that you store in the attic. Open the sewing box that you inherited from your great-grandmother. Or turn the crank on the nut grinder!

You are never too old to open your storage locker and rummage around for the talents you have packed away. You might surprise yourself and author a great novel, make a pretty dress, or enjoy grinding nuts.

Want to explore the value and meaning behind vintage kitchen tools? Visit The Spruce Crafts’ guide to collectible kitchen gadgets, Jacqueline Stallone’s identification and value guide, and Craft Your Happy Place’s list of heirlooms worth saving.

If you’re reconnecting with creativity, legacy, or personal expression, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and creative renewal.

AFTER SCHOOL

Memory, Risk, and the Roots of Who We Become

Childhood isn’t just a chapter—it’s the blueprint. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how after-school adventures shape emotional patterns, and how revisiting those moments can unlock healing, insight, and transformation.

Where would we find you after school? What talents did you pursue as a child? I remember one little girl who loved to climb trees until one day, she accepted the challenge of a giant fir tree and found herself stuck at the top. The view was beautiful, but the climb down looked impossible. A few cries for help brought her father with the tall ladder he used to clean the house’s second-story gutters. Being rescued is excellent!

Being adventurous is even greater. Sometimes, we fail to take the risk of climbing tall trees for fear of failure or fear of falling. When have you failed to climb your cedar tree? Who would come to your rescue?

Take a moment and imagine yourself back in childhood, finding that challenge you wanted to take on. Imagine the scene of that first thought. I could… Remember the sequence of events, thoughts, and feelings as you play this through. Do you go forward? Do you hesitate? Do you share the adventure with anyone? How we approach these pieces of childhood is enormously important as they lay the foundation for how we will approach other choices, decisions, and actions in the rest of our lives.

The tree climber will take risks. Sometimes, the tree climber will assess the risks, and sometimes not. Going just for the thrill and the adventure can be motivation enough. Reflecting on outcomes can come with age, but the risk-taker may ignore the potential fall.

Find that younger person inside of you and see what they need. Unbelievably, that part of you has been influencing decisions and behaviors for a long time without your conscious awareness. It is high time to meet this part of you and accept that history. Have a conversation with that part. Learn how it has been holding you back or impelling you forward into some dangerous places. The younger parts of us continue to influence us because they do not know that we got older or grew up in any way. Bringing those younger parts forward is critical. Make friends with your history.

You may remember that I have a friend whose mother told her that she could make friends with “a fly.” So, find those small events and pieces of history impacting your current thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Get to know them. Only then can you decide if you want to keep thinking and behaving in the ways they have programmed for you. You may have thought that the things you did after school were unimportant. However, they form a path that determines where you have ended up. The challenge for all of us is to page back in time, find those crucial pieces of history, and ask how that is showing up in the present for me. We are an incredible collection of our experiences, which influence the present. Learn about them so that you can decide if you want to keep them, modify them, or dismiss them.

Want to explore how childhood experiences shape adult emotional patterns? Visit Psychology Today’s guide to secure attachment and childhood adversity, Neuroscience News’ study on emotional neglect and body trust, and Mayo Clinic’s framework for overcoming adverse childhood experiences.

If you’re reflecting on childhood, emotional patterns, or personal growth, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and developmental healing.

WE ALL KNOW THIS PERSON

Defiance, Attention, and the Emotional Undercurrent of Disruption

Sometimes the flash isn’t just from a camera—it’s from unmet emotional needs. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how rogue behavior at school events may reflect deeper patterns of validation-seeking, and how empathy and frustration often coexist in our reactions.

For those of you who have been to school plays, recitals, and fashion shows from the time your children were in preschool to the time they graduated, I write this piece. At the beginning of the play or performance, the director announces that everyone is to silence their cell phones so as not to disturb the event. Further, they request that you stow your phone. The school will be recording or taking pictures that will be available to everyone the next day on the school website. Everyone complies and stows their phone. Except for that one rogue parent. There is always one rogue parent. What are they thinking?!

During a preschool music performance, I remember one father, cell phone in hand, walking up to the front of the stage mid-performance to snap his darling daughter in the front row. What was he thinking? Where do these people come from? More recently, at a performance, the announcement to silence your phones came with the good news that the performance would be recorded and sent to everyone who had purchased a ticket. That sounded great.

The house lights were dimmed, and the performance was moving along smoothly. The stage was well-lit, the music was grand, and each part was well-played. Then the dreaded “camera parent“ appeared… Standing, clicking, flash going off. What is she thinking? I wonder what her child is thinking. Is it: “Thanks Mom, that makes me feel special.”? Or is it: “Oh no, it’s my mom. I am mortified.” Or is it: “Good grief, I cannot imagine she is doing this again”.

This parent has not only created a dilemma for her child, but she has given the royal “finger” to the audience, the school, and the participants on the stage. Help me out here. What is she thinking? Of course, every other parent in the crowd wanted to photograph their child doing their one valuable line. However, they respected the school’s announcement, put their phones away, and placed them on silence. The request was to focus on the event as it happened and let your heart swell as your child took the stage.

This is what that mother is missing. Her heart is not swelling. Her palms are sweating as she sneaks her camera out and attracts the attention of the audience with the inevitable flash. Yes, she has captured a picture. Yes, she has embarrassed her child. Yes, she has defied the school’s request. And she has robbed herself of that moment of pride when your heart wants to jump out of your chest because you are so proud of your child!

I must wonder about the emotional needs of this parent and how she has been parented. What leads up to this defiance? What is the background that overruns the school’s best intentions? Some part of me wants to reach out to her and say: “I am sorry for whatever that painful history is.” Some part of me just wants to swat her like a fly.

Want to explore how emotionally immature or neglectful parenting shapes adult behavior? Visit Best Therapists’ guide to emotionally immature parents, Psych Central’s breakdown of emotionally neglectful parenting types, and Steve Rose’s insights on healing from emotionally unavailable parents.

If you’re reflecting on emotional needs, parenting patterns, or social behavior, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and relational healing.

TELEVISION ADS

Roles, Reversals, and the Cultural Mirror We Watch

Ads don’t just sell products—they sell perceptions. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how television advertising has evolved from domestic idealism to gendered satire, and how the pendulum of representation continues to swing.

I have been paying attention rather than zoning out during the ads. As I watch, I notice the roles played by men. I have concluded that the “Ad Men” have decided that “turnabout” is fair play.

I remember early television ads because the introduction of the television into the American home was a huge deal. The first television commercial aired in 1941, so television advertising has a long history. My family could not afford a television until the early 1950s, when I would have been in elementary school. The big, big box in the living room was fascinating. On Sunday evenings, everyone would gather on the couch or the floor to watch the Lawrence Welk Show. The champagne music was the closest we could get to alcohol. The bubble machine and the Lennon Sisters were our favorites. We were all excited and mesmerized by this box.

The television ads in the ’50s and ’60s focused on products that women would use in the home or on cars for men. I remember the Jolly Green Giant, wishing I were an Oscar Mayer Wiener, and Rice-A-Roni, but I could never figure out what it had to do with San Francisco. Yes, women were at home and not in the workforce. However, I remember they were not demeaned for being at home. They were valued as being in charge, making critical decisions about the care of their families, and being delighted to do so. Fiction? Perhaps, but that was still the landscape at the time. Now, women dominate college campuses and are C-suite participants or coaches to C-suite males. The landscape has changed dramatically.

The television ads have changed as well. You will not find any women in aprons. However, as I pay attention to the presentation of men, I become concerned. Men are either giant athletes or cast as buffoons. What are we doing? The vast majority of our boys will never be professional athletes, let alone giants. And we certainly do not want them aspiring to be buffoons. What is the impact when a young boy sees the man’s idea laughed at while the same idea from a woman is celebrated? Why would the advertising industry take this approach to selling products? Because it works!

We must be realistic. We are in an era where men are being put down. Now, if you are in the camp where “turnabout is fair play,” you will accept this as just. However, if all we can muster is to move the pendulum from one extreme to another, then one must question what progress is all about. Traditional roles where a dichotomy exists are no longer necessary. Any adult can do any job at any time if they are trained and prepared. Any adult can raise any child if they are educated and motivated. The only thing that has not changed is that so far only women can have babies.

Yet, the ad agencies must be reflecting something important. They must understand something about the way that we function. After all, their advertisements have been successful in selling products. Perhaps we are petty. Maybe the pendulum must swing from one side to the other. Will it ever come to a resting place where we accept each person as human and do not get hyper-focused on sexual categories?

Want to explore how advertising shapes gender roles and cultural norms? Visit ExploreAnthro’s critical look at gender stereotypes in ads, PubAdmin Institute’s guide to challenging gender roles in advertising, and Common Good Ventures’ analysis of gender bias in TV commercials.

If you’re reflecting on media influence, identity, or cultural shifts, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and societal awareness.

BABIES SEE THE REAL YOU

Empathy, Intuition, and the Emotional Genius of Infants

Before they speak, they sense. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how babies intuitively read emotional cues, and how empathy is not learned—it’s inherited, nurtured, and expressed in the smallest gestures.

I have written before about a newborn’s ability to sense safety, which is clearly a way of “seeing the real you”. This early sense is about their survival instinct. Today, I want to talk about their “intuition”. Babies, or shall we say toddlers, have the ability to feel another person’s emotions. At about the time that they start to move around on their own and gain the ability to access others, they also develop the ability to “read the room”. We call this empathy or insight. Toddlers can accurately read the emotional signals that the adult sends out and develop emotions that are reactive to those feelings. They connect with others by experiencing the adult’s emotions in a smaller way. We do this with our friends as well. When a friend shares a moment of grief or a moment of joy, we automatically recall a similar experience that we have had. So, how do infants and toddlers do this? Isn’t their range of personal experiences pretty limited or circumspect? They don’t travel around independently or have extensive friend experiences that would build such a database. It is not like they could think: “Oh, I remember stubbing my toe too, and that really hurt.” What is going on? These small beings appear to be brilliant.

Think about the meaning of this. Empathy is natural. We come programmed to develop empathy for others. About the time that we are learning to move around on our own, which will naturally give us more access to other people, we are also developing the capacity for empathy. Wow! That is a mind-blowing piece. God designed this brain to be able to “see” others accurately right at the time that we can begin to interact with others on our own! I am impressed! If you watch carefully, you will see this at the park, on the playground, and in daycare. Toddlers “see” others and offer emotional support and care. I remember one little girl in a preschool setting running around the playground and bumping into a little boy playing with trucks. She knocked him over and could have kept going. But, I watched her stop and help him up. Neither said anything. They didn’t have to. The act in itself was the message.

How often do we stop to pick someone else up? When did you last have the opportunity? Did you take it? Or did you keep walking? Empathy is programmed into us. It comes with our DNA.

Want to explore how babies perceive emotions and develop empathy? Visit NeuroLaunch’s guide to baby empathy and mirror neurons, Parenting Science’s research on infant emotional contagion, and Psychology Today’s insights into emotional development in infancy.

If you’re reflecting on emotional connection, parenting, or intuitive development, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and relational growth.

LEARNING FROM THE BUTTERFLY

Memory, Metamorphosis, and the Lessons We Carry

Butterflies don’t just transform—they remember. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how metamorphosis mirrors emotional growth, and how memory becomes a bridge between past and present, even in the smallest of creatures.

Butterflies are beautiful. They come in assorted colors and sizes, and they are great fun to watch. Butterflies belong to the insect order called Lepidoptera. Moths get included in this group as well. Lepidoptera means “scaly wings” in Greek. The Monarch butterfly has a migration path that takes them through Cape May, New Jersey. Every year, people come from miles around to be present for this migration. The bushes in every yard are covered with butterflies. Sometimes, if you stay still, they will land on you. Experiencing this close is a marvel.

I had the privilege of experiencing this phenomenon several years ago and would encourage you to go. Cape May is a cute small town with some old hotels along the beach that are inviting and comfortable. The beach is a flat sandy strip that seems to go on for miles. If you like long walks, you will be delighted. This east coast location is perfectly situated as the stopping place for hundreds of species of birds. Birdwatchers from all over come here in the late summer and early fall to take advantage of watching more than four hundred species of migrating birds.

The migration of the Monarch Butterflies is equally amazing. The number of butterflies that invade this town is a sight to behold. What I did not realize is that in some ways, these creatures are very much like humans. They transform from caterpillars to butterflies after going through a difficult growth period in a chrysalis. Humans go through a similar process: childhood, puberty and teen years, adulthood. We make dramatic changes as well and come out of the teen years to be quite different people than the children we started as. What I did not realize is that the butterfly retains the memories/experiences of the previous two stages. Butterflies remember being caterpillars—even after metamorphosis.

Holding onto memories is important for a variety of reasons. I want to highlight two of those. First, memories give us context for living. Second, memories give us opportunities for repair. Context enables us to appreciate our history. We know that we carry genetic material from the past three generations. That is a lot of context! Also, when families gather for celebrations, the presence of three generations is common. Being able to tell the stories of three generations is an important part of family tradition. As we experience the stories of three generations, we have a database that enables us to understand where we have come from and why we function the way that we do. The experiences that we have had in various parts of our childhood often need to be repaired. Neglect as infants, shocks as preschoolers, and hurts as middle schoolers and teens can impact our functioning in adulthood. Being able to revisit past hurts and injuries is important. Healing can take place when we can revisit these injuries.

Learning that even butterflies retain memories from when they were crawling along the ground is a welcome surprise. I wonder how many other insects, birds, and animals have similar capabilities. I do not know how they use these memories, but I do know that humans use them for healing and growth.

Want to explore how butterfly metamorphosis mirrors emotional transformation? Visit Insect Lore’s guide to personal change through metamorphosis, Butterfly Bee Garden’s life lessons from butterflies, and Monarch Butterflies’ reflections on imperfection and growth.

If you’re reflecting on memory, transformation, or emotional healing, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and personal renewal.

BLOOMING

Rain, Renewal, and the Garden Within

Rain doesn’t just feed the soil—it awakens the soul. For individuals in Maryland and DC, this reflection explores how nature’s rhythms mirror emotional renewal, and how blooming begins beneath the surface, long before the petals appear.

Today, the rain is falling steadily. I could quickly be soaked within the first 15 minutes if I were out in it. I am grateful that it is raining and not snowing. This time around, New England will get snow, and one of my relatives will mount his roof and shovel snow to the ground to avoid damage to the roof and potential collapse. Perhaps homes in the New England states should be required to have metal roofs so the snow will slide off. I dread the call when he falls off.

Rain is a blessing. I am particularly interested in how it will nurture the garden where bulbs and plants prepare to break through the ground and delight us with Spring bloom. The cycle of nature is fascinating. In the Fall, we watch the plants turn brown, get mushy, and fall to the ground like dead. They disappear before our eyes, shrinking as though they are sucked back into the earth from which they came. One would think they are dead and will never be seen again.

The child in me mourns their passing, believing that they are gone forever. The loss is palpable. The garden design delights the senses. The colors have been carefully chosen for a purpose. We have designed a Moon Garden. Most blooms are white, ready to reflect the moonlight when the sun goes down. The flowers around the edges are yellows of different hues, as though the sun were blessing every inch of the garden and welcoming the lilies and daisies as they bloom.

My favorite part of the garden is not the flowers at all. My favorite part is the serenity bell that hangs in the center and softly caresses the wind with a deep, ringing hum. Peace lives here, and problems melt in the wind. The garden beckons to all my senses. Watching the blooms develop through stages of bud to bloom is exciting. Anticipating the moonlight reflecting on the white blossoms is mesmerizing. The scent of the lilies is intoxicating, drawing you closer. My body relaxes, and my breathing slows as the garden enters my soul.

The parts of me that have been dormant are beginning to rise to the surface again. Movement is evident in my thoughts, and the synapses in my brain are firing and clicking with new life. As the plants push through the soil barrier, my sluggishness begins to move aside. I will write or paint or sing or dance. Perhaps I will lie on the ground in the grass and feel the energy beneath the ground and let it move through me. But for now, I listen to the rain and am grateful I am inside.

Want to explore how rain nurtures emotional and spiritual blooming? Visit Spiritual Ark’s guide to rain as renewal and healing, Soulful Meanings’ 13 interpretations of rain’s spiritual significance, and Spiritual Mojo’s reflections on rain as divine intervention.

If you’re reconnecting with creativity, nature, or emotional renewal, therapy can help. Learn more about individual therapy in Maryland and DC or explore therapeutic approaches that support emotional insight and seasonal transformation.