In this NEW Year (beyond our conflicted country), in just the span of five weeks, my life has toppled over like Jenga pieces; life has been messy and disconnected. In this chaos, I see opportunities for growth and recognize areas for improvement. Thank God, I am not stuck, but instead, I continue on my path.Continue reading “(Jenga &) Perseverance.”
I expect to pass through life but once. If, therefore there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, as I shall not pass this way again. -William Penn My parent’s divorced when I was just a baby; I saw my dadContinue reading “Honoring My Father”
I have been silent, mostly. Today I was challenged not to be silent. Having a child changes my view in many ways. I have been careful in my postings but not careless in my beliefs or actions. The most important conversation I had this week was with with my son who is about to turnContinue reading “2020 Vision”
I told myself that I would write at least once a month ( AND WRITE AUTHENTICALLY) in order to practice reflection. Right now, I feel like death. I have a cold with the absolute worst congestion and an unbearable sore throat….but this is my motivation for writing. So I press on, literally. No one ORContinue reading “#growthmindset from age 5 to 39”
I have prepared many speeches but yesterday was more than unique; sharing my testimony in chapel at Mount Vernon Nazarene University challenged me to dig deep in order to tell my story of reconciliation which covered the past 39 years. I wrote my speech a month ago and began practicing it in the car twiceContinue reading “My 360° Moment at MVNU”
I have attempted to keep my writing separate from my work, but this week, my professional career and personal journey of transformation blended. This week, we conducted a week-long conference and inducted new Scholars (former foster youth) into the Columbus State Scholar Network. We have nearly 20 students this semester! Yesterday, Columbus State Community CollegeContinue reading “Self-care and so much more…at Ohio Reach’s first College Retreat!”
Over the past week, I started to write August’s post on three different days. I was torn because I have been asking myself (in the greater context(s) of both the election season and social justice), “What can I do- of significance- to make a difference?” I do not write every day or every week –Continue reading “Writing, Contemplation & Change”
So…why a lotus? Since my arrival into this world, my beginning was a struggle of survival. My parents divorced when I was just a baby. My dad was just gone. My mother was present but gone from my sight. She was addicted to drugs and abusive men. Trauma was my building blocks and it wouldContinue reading “Beyond the flower: #nomudnolotus”
Waking up in 2016, 20 years after I left the foster care system as a high school graduate, I have since earned my bachelor and my master’s degrees but accumulated 70k of debt. The burden of debt is an albatross around my heart, but I perist because I have a vocation, not a job, andContinue reading “digging deeper”
I just haven’t been posting and sometimes it feels like writer’s block. And I suppose I’ve been holding back – because this platform shouldn’t be my journal. After all, this is a blog – not a notebook of my private thoughts. Right? Agree? Disagree? Well, this sounds reasonable, except my life has normally been anContinue reading “writers block, sort of…”
Kimberly C. Rhyan 