I don’t know that I was born a warrior. Maybe I was, but I was so full of fear in my early years, that I don’t know that it was immediately evident. Perhaps it was hiding…..in my endless hope and refusal to give up…..or in my willingness to befriend and go to bat for theContinue reading “Quite special, indeed…”
Author Archives: Jeanie Stephens
Maybe I can be surprised again…
Like many people just trying to find their way, I make choices that sometimes don’t make a lot of sense to others…..and sometimes, I’m not the best person or as “perfect” as people think. Perhaps I tried to be too “mature” and emotionally well-adjusted at an early age…..seeing how trust encourages trust…..wanting to treat peopleContinue reading “Maybe I can be surprised again…”
Getting my “act” together…
Lately, I’ve been starting to “get my act together,” for whatever that means. The day job (which is seasonal and lasts just four months) has gotten me in a nice routine, as has my attempt to fully appreciate every moment I have when not in the office. I shower before bed, get to sleep atContinue reading “Getting my “act” together…”
Art & Coffee in Asheville
(November 2021) Spending just shy of a month in North Carolina, much of the time in the Asheville area, I had plenty of time to check out the street art, breweries, and coffee shops. At first, I considered including this collection of photos in my earlier album “To the East (2021),” but I ultimately decidedContinue reading “Art & Coffee in Asheville”
Only love has value here…
For months now, I’ve been sitting on some thoughts about which path to take moving forward. I haven’t been stagnant, exactly. I’ve just been taking in “data” as needed in the understanding that it will eventually lead me to some sort of conclusion about the matter. Such is my way. I’m an observer, first…..of externalContinue reading “Only love has value here…”
Not the writer here…
After a few months hiatus, I feel like sharing some of what I’ve been going through in my little world. For starters, I visited a friend in North Carolina the month of November, which did not end well…..and finally led to me completely cutting ties with her after returning to Illinois. I believe the badContinue reading “Not the writer here…”
You may think…
You may think I’m the same as all of the others….. But I’m not…..because you’re not, and I recognized you in a moment. And although I was initially reluctant, I gave in. I surrendered. The first night. The second and third. After months of not knowing what was to come…..when the realization first struck. IContinue reading “You may think…”
I want to be…
I want to be your favorite book. I want you to run your fingers and hands over my pages, memorizing every line…..and while other people will never take the time to read me, I want you to never put me on a shelf where I can collect dust. I’m a first edition, first printing, andContinue reading “I want to be…”
A thousand funerals…
At some point during my marital separation in 2008, my (now late) husband accused me of lacking commitment. I didn’t quite see it the same way, considering I felt like I had lived in figurative and literal hell for the better part of 15 years…..but the accusation did make me question whether I could loveContinue reading “A thousand funerals…”
Otherworldly things…
I don’t remember exactly when the universe or greater unknown began leaving me feathers, but I’m guessing maybe 20 years ago or so. I was still married then with young children……all made up of non-stop energy that left me little reprieve. And yet, I stole moments here and there, reading and studying. And better yet,Continue reading “Otherworldly things…”
I am…different
One night maybe a month or so ago, a man much younger than me hit on me….and we proceeded to talk for maybe an hour or more before it was time to part ways. As I was walking away, I overheard him say something to his friend about me. “Isn’t she great?” he asked. HisContinue reading “I am…different”
Beyond Van Gogh, St. Louis
I am…you
Imagine for a minute….that my soul is yours and everything I experience is, therefore, your experience. I am, essentially, an extension of you. I am your eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and hands. Every breathe I take is yours and you feel every beat of my heart. What do you wish for me? What do IContinue reading “I am…you”
To the South…(2021)
Austin, Texas Padre Island Seashore Friends – Island Life – Mexico Texas State Aquarium
These are the things…
When it comes to a woman who’s given up almost all material luxuries in her own life, you don’t win her over with a shiny new Land Rover, 48-foot sailboat, flights to exotic locations, jewelry, and the like. You win her over with a photo of a small happy house plant soaking up the sunContinue reading “These are the things…”
Jeanie Unbottled 