I’ve had a love and a fascination for fairytales since I was very little. I love the idea of a world with no boundaries, where adventure awaits at every turn, where magic makes anything possible… and let’s not rule out the idea of a youthful, tanned, and well-mannered prince waiting to whisk me off to…
Author: Vanae Keiser
Having the Faith to Fall
A few summers ago, I took a trip with my family to go hiking in the desert. I enjoy the outdoors, and hiking is both relaxing and taxing enough to get my blood flowing. It was a wonderful trip! The weather was perfect—not too hot or too cold, and clouds gave us some covering from…
'Winging It": Converting to Optimism
Optimism. It’s a word that I have often cringed at. To me, it means believing in fairy-tales, trusting that someday your daydreams will become reality. At least, this is what I have been inclined to think. I like to think of myself as a “realist”. I just go through life thinking, “Que Sera, Sera. Whatever…
Paper Tigers
“The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward.” Those inspiring words come from one of my biggest heroes, Amelia Earhart,…
When Happiness Hurts
Several years ago, when I was young and exceptionally dramatic, I had a life-changing experience. It was life-changing, not only because it involved a boy who I thought I was destined to marry, but also because I learned a simple, profound lesson that has stuck with me since. I was twenty years old, and I…
Escaping Depression
I sat in the waiting room with my head lowered, careful to keep my face concealed behind the largest pamphlet that I could find. I didn’t want anyone to see me in this office—especially not anyone I knew. I was ashamed, so ashamed, to be going to see a therapist. I didn’t want to admit…
Tuff Love
As I get closer and closer to becoming a parent, I am continually pondering what the most important lessons to teach my child will be. One of the things nearest to the top is to love others. One news story today has re-instilled the importance of this truth for me. Antionette Tuff is a beautiful,…
Celebrations of Life
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a wedding, a baby blessing, and a funeral. Three days, three of life’s biggest events. And while these events are all very different in their own ways, I believe that they all hold the exact same central purpose—to celebrate life. The blessing of a child brings…
The Kindness of Strangers (Part 2)
An article was written by one of my fellow writers a couple months back, entitled The Kindness of Strangers. I have been thinking about it a lot for the last week because of a little kindness I received from a stranger. It wasn’t as big or as fantastic as my would-be mugging victim taking me…