The Terror of Our Blank Pages and Days

July 13, 2016.Reading time 5 minutes.

By Amanda Cleary Eastep Nothing is more exciting, or more terrifying, than facing a blank page. That’s true for more than writers. Today, my lifelong friend faces a blank page each day. It seems to her that little is left of the story she spent so many years painstakingly writing in blood tears prayers struggles. […]

Turning Up the Dark

April 19, 2016.Reading time 3 minutes.

By Amanda Cleary Eastep This is about the time of year I start writing about spring and gardening and the anticipation of warmer days. And hope. But just because the earth is stretching and ready to start a new day doesn’t mean we are. As much as I’ve been thinking about what to plant in my flower pots, […]

Why Advent Hope Is Way Better than Junior Prom Hope

November 30, 2015.Reading time 7 minutes.

By Amanda Cleary Eastep I REALLY wanted him to ask me to prom. I waited. And waited. And. Waited. Until one day, when it seemed all hope was lost, a nervous young man twitched his way over to my locker and sweated out an invitation to our junior prom. Except it was the wrong young […]

Surprised by April and Sharp Turns

December 23, 2014.Reading time 3 minutes.

By Amanda Cleary Eastep The ground is confused and awakening groggily, because it is too warm today for December. All those organisms aroused by the surprise of sunshine and high 40s stir, unaware that their future holds a predicted “swath” of 3-6 inches of snow that will unravel a 3-6 inch ribbon of white across northern […]

Finding meaning when things don’t make sense

August 13, 2014.Reading time 3 minutes.

By Amanda Cleary Eastep I didn’t plan on writing about actor and comedian Robin Williams’ suicide. Lots of people already have. Lots of people who have more inspiring words to say. And it was some of those words that stuck with me. “I’ve learned that there can be meaning without things making sense.” Photo Credit: […]

Why in the night sky are the lights hung?

January 27, 2014.Reading time 5 minutes.

Why in the night sky are the lights hung? Why is the earth moving ’round the sun? Floating in the vacuum with no purpose, not a one. Why in the night sky are the lights hung? Why is life made only for to end? Why do I do all this waiting then? Why this frightened […]