Gifts of Joy and Playfulness

By Carol Ross | March 7, 2016

I grew up playing the flute, starting in fifth grade, and continuing through my freshman year in college. I was not particularly talented, but I worked hard. The musical notes were something to master as a technician. The competitions and auditions were a source of pride.  Being musical also paved the way to belonging. Doing…

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Mother’s Day 2015: A Seismic Shift in Small Moments

By Carol Ross | May 10, 2015

Twenty plus years ago, I was imprinted with the label, MOTHER, when my first child was born.  A couple of years later, my second child was born. Two sons. Photo by Clever Cupcakes. Chip and I took on the role of parents with enthusiasm.  After a 7-month maternity leave, I arranged with my employer to…

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Re-Purposing Yourself

By Carol Ross | November 3, 2014

Photo by encore.org On the shuttle to the Phoenix airport, I turned to my fellow passenger. We both had just attended a multi-day conference. Because of her late flight into Phoenix and her earlier than usual flight out of Phoenix, she was at the conference for less than 48 hours. I was curious.  I asked her, “What…

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Not Getting What We Want

By Carol Ross | September 13, 2014

While reading the book, Seven Thousand Ways to Listen by Mark Nepo, I came across a chapter titled, “Not Getting What We Want”. An internal dialogue ensued. Me: Oh my, I need to read this.  Book:  “We are taught early on that to have an ambition and to work toward it is how we contribute to the…

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