Paradigm shifts in life tend to be those around new life, death, or great change.

When I was a little girl, I counted down the days till summer camp. While only one week, I anticipated those seven days in Hocking Hills more than Christmas morning! The days flew by – like time does when you have fun – as I conducted nature studies, swam in the natural springs, and sat around campfires with girlfriends I still call friends more than 50 years later.

When I was 16, I had the honor of serving as a Junior Counselor for the entire summer. That summer was the last of my childhood.

My mom wanted me to enjoy those last, long summer days, laughing innocently with other girls and those I mentored; she didn’t want to burden me with the truth.

When I came home, bursting with energy and life, I learned my mother was dying. She had breast cancer and had known since May. In her remaining months, we cherished our time together, while also going over things I would assume once she was gone. 

That December I became the woman of the house. Beyond schoolwork, I assumed the household chores and helped my father raise my two sisters, 9 and 12 at the time.

My granddaughter is 16, the same age I was when my mama died. While she is capable, I just can’t imagine her assuming all that responsibility.

I remember when I was a new mom. It was hard, especially with the first kid. Once you have a second, or third or fourth, you look back and ask yourself, “Why did you worry so much!?” My mother-in-law imparted some words of wisdom I often reminded myself of during the child-rearing years: you have 18 years to teach them; it doesn’t have to all be done in a day. I am so thankful to have had good mother-in-law; I know many are not as lucky.

Now that I am a grandma and can look back on decades of experience, I encourage new moms to trust their intuition. It is often right, especially if the woman is grounded in Christ and welcomes His wisdom. You can read all the books in the world, but make sure to trust your gut. And, savor the time. Do what you can to spend your days with your babies. Last year, 2018, went by so quickly, didn’t it? Imagine how fast 18 years go by; they speed up with each passing year.

As for your kiddos, encourage them to keep a moral compass. For me, a moral compass is rooted in the Christian faith. Encourage them to be true to themselves and not conform to the crowd.

Everything about Columbus, Ohio is home for me.

When I was younger, I wouldn’t have considered moving because I was too close to my dad. I have so many memories of him in this city. When he was 92, I remember sitting together on his porch swing during a crisp spring evening. With tea in my hand and a pipe lackadaisically hanging from his mouth, we swang back and forth, listening to the creak of the swing and smelling the aroma of pipe smoke mixed with beef stew through the open window.

He said, “Well, I am starting to get old. If I don’t make it to Alaska this year, I not going to get to go.”

Talking about death is never pleasant, and I felt myself fighting tears as the truth of his words hung in the air. Neither of us said another word, and luckily, the dinner bell rang.

I talked to my husband that night, and he lovingly agreed that I should take my dad on an Alaskan Cruise.

Several months later, my dad and I flew into Seward, Alaska and boarded a Royal Caribbean ship for our Alaskan Cruise. He was the oldest person on the ship, and he was famous by the end of the cruise. People waved to us, call him daddy (like I did) or dad, and ask when he was planning on pipe smoking next. Smokers and non-smokers filled up the designated area to smell one of his many tobacco flavors and hear his stories.

Our time in Alaska was unforgettable. I could hardly keep up with him! I remember, he would wake me up at 4:00 a.m. so we could watch every Alaskan sunrise. Looking back, I am glad I had those extra hours with Daddy, and I am thankful we got to witness those masterpieces painted in the sky together.

His health started to decline the next year. I remember sitting in the sterile doctor’s office listening to their conversation about his health, and his pipe smoking habit came up. However, after the doctor learned he had been smoking since he was 14, he didn’t argue about the habit. Daddy wouldn’t have stopped anyway.

Holidays have a way of dusting off old memories.

Years ago, I worked on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, criminal activity doesn’t pause for the holidays, and after working a long shift on a covert assignment, I finally made it home around 5 a.m. on Christmas morning. I was hoping to grab a few hours of sleep before my 6-year old son woke up. Fifteen short minutes ticked by, and while I was off in the land of Hushabye, my son’s internal Christmas morning alarm went off.

He came running down the hall to wake my wife and me up, exclaiming, “Santa came!” At that moment, nothing else mattered but his excitement and innocence. His smile was contagious, and as I watched him, I wanted nothing more than to go see what Santa brought him.

He wasn’t old enough to know about the storms raging outside our four walls, and until I picked my badge back up, I was going to be fully present with him and my wife.

That memory and many others make me keenly aware of the gift of family. I know many have lost family members or have strained relationships, and I don’t take the blessing of my family lightly.

I am also incredibly grateful for first responders. It is a real blessing to be able to dial 911 anywhere in the country and have a stranger respond with necessary help.

Lastly – and most importantly – I am thankful for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Sometimes the holiday season hustle veils the true meaning of Christmas, but taking time to reflect helps focus on what is most important.

At a high level, we moved to Columbus to be closer to family.

It wasn’t the original plan though. The original plan was to move closer to my family; we went as far as visiting my hometown, picking out an apartment, checking out the daycare options and schools for our kids, and considering job offers. But, our relationships started to feel distant. When we inquired, we got nowhere. Finally, I tried to have a heart-to-heart with my sister; I knew she was keeping something from me, and I actually felt more unsettled after the call than before it. After much thought, we decided it was best to wait to see how things played out because we simply didn’t feel at peace moving to that part of the country with how things were. I actually ended up receiving and turning down a job offer the next week.

Come to find out much later, a few weeds had choked out the flowers, if you will, and the ensuing drama resulted in many branding, hurtful memories. Despite our efforts, relations never mended.

Recently, I realized the hand of God was involved in a way I hadn’t seen before. You know the frequently quoted verse from Romans? “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God…” I now see how God worked those unfortunate events together for our good, and the timing of them was to redirect us to Columbus.

And here we are today, not just Buckeye fans and alumni, but Buckeye residents. Columbus is an amazing city to call home, and I thank God for working even those events together for our benefit.

You would’ve thought the move to Columbus would’ve been easy because we’ve moved more for my husband’s job than many military families. Initially, Minnesota was just another state to add to our long list of states we had lived in. However, the move to Ohio was really difficult.

You see, we had lived in Minnesota for six years – three years longer than any other location. Our house was actually our home, our daughter was enjoying school and her group of friends, and I was plugged in and leading in our church and community.

And then the moving boxes were out again.

Honestly, up until I stepped on the plane, I thought God was going to say, “Just kidding! Thanks for trusting me through this test. You don’t really have to move.”

My soul sister came to Columbus to visit me shortly after we moved, and she literally forced me to get involved. Against my will, I signed up to meet new people.

Now, I realized God was working behind the scenes for our good. Despite the tears and heartache of the difficult move, Ohio is now home. One of the most remarkable dominos of moving here was my daughter learning about the small college she now attends. We would’ve likely never heard of it unless we moved here, and she is flourishing.

I feared I would be unemployed and have to return to China to find a job.

Even with a masters degree, it is difficult to find a job as an international student. But, I tried my best and after receiving a lot of encouragement and advice from my boyfriend, friends, and family, I found a job I like!

My next adventure is deceptively simple: I want to discover the meaning of my life and figure out what I am really meant to do. I like my current job, but it is not my last one. I want to use my passion and artistic skill to earn an income. Until I figure out a way, I will continue to appreciate life, the people by my side, and the not-at-all ordinary gift of today.

This cyclist’s coast to coast pedal adventure recently intersected with Columbus, Ohio, and while biking 3,500 miles is a feat in itself, surviving a serious car accident and being physically fit to complete the ride is what makes Chase one in a million.

On Friday, January 13, 2017, at 2:03 p.m., Chase’s life changed forever. Driving from Bloomington, IL to Iowa City, Iowa, Chase was involved in a near-fatal car accident. He was broadsided by a driver going nearly 90 miles an hour, and as first responders wearily approached the scene, they suspected no possibility of life in the twisted metal coffin.

However, a glimmer of hope illuminated the scene. Chase was alive. They worked quickly to extract his faintly breathing, bleeding body out of the car, which had been hurled a football field away from the point of impact. The severity of the collision dislodged his left femur from under the skin, and he was rapidly bleeding out. The Western Illinois first responders worked to stop the hemorrhaging and stabilize his leg as air-evacs from different hospitals took flight toward the location. He was flown to the closest level-one trauma center. In addition to a shattered femur, Chase withstood a broken left hand, broken left foot, broken ribs, punctured lungs, ruptured spleen, bruised heart, and a traumatic brain injury.

After a month in the hospital, many surgeries, and hours of physical therapy, Chase persevered. His life and limb were not only spared, but his determination made sure his active lifestyle also survived.

Chase started his cross-country cycling trip in June 2018, and when asked about the ‘why’ behind his trip, he answered:

The short answer, I am riding for recovery.

The long answer is more complex. When I first started in June, I thought the idea sounded fun, and especially after my accident, I wanted to accumulate experiences, not things. After the accident, I felt like a burden to everyone around me because I was completely dependent on others. When I left for LA, I was carrying a lot of gear as well as a lot of mental baggage, which I am not sure I even recognized at the time. As the weeks have passed, I shipped some gear home, lightening my load. However, I also let go of the emotional and mental baggage of guilt, frustration, shame, and anger; that baggage was way heavier than the gear strapped to my bike!

With each mile this ride is shaping me in a way I didn’t expect and the stories I am accumulating are weaving one exquisite tapestry. I have met so many unique people, and I have countless stories to share.

One of my favorites is when I rode into Farmington, Missouri on July 4.  After getting the hostel code from the police department, I met a guy on a motorcycle named, Bud. He asked me what I was doing, and our conversation ended with him extending a 4th of July party invitation. Of course, I accepted, and the next thing you know I was at Chuck’s party.

It was complete with live music, tables of food, coolers with a variety of beverages, and dozens of people dressed in holiday attire. I raised a handful of eyebrows because of my cycling outfit, and since the night was young, I rode to the hostel and changed. I spent the rest of the evening with Bud and his family, and we watched the best firework show I had ever seen.

This experience has also afforded me time to think, be introspective, and prioritize. And, the more I have disengaged from the distractions of this world, the more I have engaged with myself, God, and others.

Another epiphany is regarding relationships. People are so important and awesome, real vessels for knowledge, each with his or her own story. You hear and read on the news the intellectual, ideological, physical battles people engage in. We have to stop! We are all trying to get through this life and if we could just swallow our pride and help each other out, the world would be a better place.

I hope this trip inspires others to take full advantage of their lives. I have a second chance at life, and I will live it unbridled, furthering the community of voyagers seeking uncommon experiences and pushing the limits.

– Chase

The internet is a wonderful tool, and social media offers a convenient way to stay in touch with a lot of people. For a second, I think, “How could I live without it?” But, I lived without it for years!

When I was in my 20’s, I left corporate America and worked for a year on South Bass Island. If you can imagine it, I had a rarely used 12″ TV, and I used a pay phone to call home once a week. It wasn’t unusual to go a week without talking to family or close friends, and if you wanted to talk to someone on South Bass, you had to see them in person.

It was refreshing to not be in constant contact and to be disconnected from all the negative media stories. Living there was freeing; it was a happier existence.

Living without the internet today would dramatically change things. From a relational standpoint, it would force me to be more present, have more face-to-face conversations, and it would allow me to have a better read on people. I wouldn’t be in contact with as many people, but I would probably have closer, more authentic relationships. Perhaps I should challenge myself to not use the internet once a week!

My tombstone will likely read, ‘She did laundry.’ Ha! It may have read, ‘Hysterical comedian,’ but I can’t stay up past 9:30 p.m.