Exploring the Jungle —Mary Lott

“Oh, man! I think I really blew it.” My heart sunk to my toes as I looked at my thighs and forearms, where a maroon cobweb had appeared on my dusky blue skin. I…

“Let’s see what the fam is doing today,” I mused to myself as I opened my Facebook feed. On Facebook, I’ve been able to reconnect with acquaintances from elementary school. My own family is…

Standing at the bathroom mirror, I peer this way and that. Has that scab become smaller? Is there any redness or pain? Any swelling, especially around the edges of my skin graft? Everything seems…

I was enveloped in a deliciously warm environment, floating as if on a cloud, bathed in warm sunshine. I stretched out my arm, which immediately whapped against the bedroom wall. My luxurious sleep had…

It is a truth universally acknowledged that people with cold agglutinin disease (CAD) can’t breathe. However little known the feelings or views of such a person, this truth is so well-fixed in the…

The Norfolk pine was well over 6 feet tall. It was top-heavy and too big for the pot. I didn’t have the energy or strength to deal with it. Thankfully, we’d hired a young…

One candle in our Advent wreath is lit before our family’s devotion service begins. Together we sing, “O come, o come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.” This hymn causes us to remember God’s work…

I heard the music of the calliope before I saw the magical kaleidoscope of colors. Fairs always have their smells: cotton candy, hot dogs, and hamburgers. But my 7-year-old self was enchanted by the…

I started trembling when I saw the tribal warrior approach with a wicked long spear. Yikes! How can I get out of here? I looked around the room and realized there was no escape.

It was totally dark, and I couldn’t remember where I was. I was nice and comfortable in this soft bed with its squishy pillows. I blinked my eyes and remembered: I was traveling back…