Life lessons | Tyra Garlington

“We are in a time of new suns” says emergent startegist, Adrienne Maree Brown

Posted on July 2, 2022 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

“What a time to be alive,” Adrienne Maree Brown has written. “Right now we are in a fast river together — every day there are changes that seemed unimaginable until they occurred.” Adrienne Maree Brown and others use many words and phrases to describe what she does, and who she is: A student of complexity. A student of change and of how groups change together. A “scholar of belonging.” A “scholar of magic.” She grew up loving science fiction, and thought we’d be driving flying cars by now; yet, has found in speculative fiction the transformative force of vision and……
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SECOND STORY, a sanctuary for youth who have been left out, left over, and left behind featuring Cathy Benn, Vice President of Residential Services.

Posted on October 26, 2021 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

Consider this: “On any given night, approximately 41,000 unaccompanied youth ages 13-25 experience homelessness. The average age a teen enters the sex trade in the US is 12 to 14 years old. Many victims are runaway girls who were sexually abused as children. Many “latchkey” children experience stressful and even dangerous situations without ready access to adult guidance and support. It is estimated that as many as 10 million American children care for themselves before or after school. Many latchkey kids begin their self-care responsibilities The US teen birth rate (births per 1,000 females aged 15 to 19 years) has been declining since……
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What story do you tell yourself when the White House calls?

Posted on September 7, 2021 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

This month’s theme, “Stories We Grew up with,” expands our appreciation of who we have become due to the stories we have been told and the ones we have told ourselves growing up. We look at how these stories have impacted our thoughts, our dreams; ultimately, I believe everyone has a story and is a story. Author Richard Kearney says in his book On Stories, “telling stories is as basic to human beings as eating. More so, in fact, for a while, food makes us live; stories are what make our lives worth living.” Isak Dinesen says, “To be a……
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Rotary Opens Opportunites Through Service with Meesh Peters in Swaziland

Posted on February 25, 2021 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

I echo the words of author and coach Iyanla Vanzant in her 2000 book, Until Today for her view of service. And I quote: “The greatest service I can offer is standing confidently in my power. It does not serve you or the world for you to behave as if you are powerless. You can think yourself into and out of any situation with which you are confronted. You have the ability to speak for yourself. You can defend yourself! Promote yourself. Encourage yourself. Teach yourself! Correct yourself. That is power. You have a heart. Through it, you can experience……
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Moments of Mindfulness: Daddy, where are you?

Posted on June 19, 2020 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

Did you look under PROTECTION, adjacent to PROVIDER, close to KEEPER OF THE REMOTE CONTROL, disguised as SANTA CLAUS, within YOUR HEART? However, sometimes Daddy can only be found in a WARM, LOVING, and SPECIAL MEMORY. He moves around a lot. He has a lot to do when he is about his work. He hurts when you hurt, finds joy in your laughter, and wishes you all the blessings you deserve. He will answer to Daddy, Poppo, Pops, Dad, Papa, and even “Bald Mommy”. Whoever plays the role and earns the title of a father in your life is a……
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Moments of Mindfuless: For the exhausted and overwhelmed.

Posted on May 17, 2020 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

Sometimes when I feel exhausted and overwhelmed about an inconvenient reality, I search for meaning or perspective or affinity in the thoughts of others. Last week I wandered into these words that worked for me. “Our belonging to each other can’t be lost, but it can be forgotten. The life-giving link between vulnerability and courage has been discovered in recent days of the uncomfortable, We must walk through this crisis of our life together because we can move beyond it: with strong backs, soft fronts, and wild hearts.” – Brené Brown “Not too long ago it was assumed that clean……
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Moments of Mindfulness: Everybody has one, many of us are.

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

Although motherhood related celebrations have existed for thousands of years, it was President Woodrow Wilson in 1914 who officially designated the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day in the United States. Mother is our first intimate relationship, first friend, and teacher. She is created with special powers. She has eyes in the back of her head, can hear through walls, and can catch us before we fall. Her love is the launchpad for all kinds of promise. “Super-her-o” mother understands what her children do not say, makes a scraped knee better with a kiss, and gives hugs that last……
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Moments Of Mindfulness: Back to Normal?

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

So, today I am intrigued by the term “back to normal”. Apparently, a lot of folks are in a big hurry to get there. However, science tells us, humans experience time moving forward. Perhaps the answer lies beyond the words. Perhaps normal is code for what we knew, and back refers to when we were comfortable and in control? What do you think? Regardless, our nation’s normal contains a variety of inconvenient truths. We have veterans who fought to preserve our beautiful lifestyles living in homes made of cardboard. We have children who not only go to school to learn……
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Moments of Mindfulness: History is paying us a visit.

Posted on April 24, 2020 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

This week I received a not so gentle email reminder of the timeless nuance of history. It included newspaper clippings from the early 19th century. Women sat at typewriters working while wearing face masks and gloves. People gathered at a market to buy and sell necessities all wearing facial masks. Of course, I was drawn to the women’s picture- frame hats and how creatively they had fashioned a stylish face mask to wrap around the hat. If was also a reminder of our inconvenient truth of today. But alas, a light in the darkness! The poem “This is Timeless…” was……
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Moments of Mindfulness: In Times Like These

Posted on April 9, 2020 by Tyra Garlington • 0 Comments

Today, in my solitude, I wonder about us, you and me. It seems our biggest challenge is how to be here now. To survive, we may have to make room for the new. I’m not talking about cleaning out our closets, I am talking about the transformation of our minds. We can no longer be bound by yesterday. I found words from author Iyanla Vanzant, in her 2001 book, Faith in the Valley, echoing my perceived need for transformation. “As a result of this divinely ordered event, you are no longer held in hostage to what was. All dreams, goals,……
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