From the heart

Katie Hart Smith

Whispers in the Wind

Have you ever heard a whisper in the wind – a gut feeling that was telling you that something was desperately not right? Or, perhaps it was a sense of overwhelming calm and stillness that comforted you, reassurance that you were in exactly the right place and time.

Katie Hart Smith

The Ripple Effect

Do you have a mentor? Is there someone in your life that has had a lasting positive impact on you? Have you had the opportunity to pay it forward in what I call the “ripple effect?”

Katie Hart Smith

The Gift

On just an ordinary day, has someone ever taken you by surprise and given you an unexpected extraordinary gift?

Katie Hart Smith

Stuff

What defines you? The labels in the clothes you wear? The kind of car you drive? Do you tend to slide down the slippery slope of materialism and let stuff define your worth? Or, do you prefer to take a more practical and realistic approach to see stuff for what it is?

Katie Hart Smith

S.O.S.

Last night I tossed and turned and prayed to God for His guidance about this column and asked the question, “How do I write about such a troubling subject matter? What words am I to use?” I let go. And, the answer came to me in early morning hours, “S.O.S.”

Katie Hart Smith

Eat Nanner Puddin’ in the Mornin’

Happy New Year to you! As you opened the kitchen cabinets or refrigerator in search for your breakfast fixings this morning, were you looking for coffee, fruit juice, cereal, or eggs? The other day, I did that very thing and then decided to for-go whipping up an egg white omelet and instead chose to eat nanner puddin’ (Southern translation: “banana pudding”) that morning. 

Katie Hart Smith

We learn by doing

 How do we learn? How did you learn to walk, drive a car, or bake a cake? I bet you learned by doing.

Katie Hart Smith

The Power of Play

When was the last time you took time out of your busy schedule to play? Whether inside or outdoors, and regardless of your age, can you recall the last time you permitted yourself to have unbridled free time – to imagine, to explore, or to escape?

Katie Hart Smith

The Art of Hospitality

Has the pleasurable experience of eating and dining out become extinct? In this fast-paced society of ready-to-eat meals and instant gratification, are we losing touch with the art of hospitality in our culture? Are we taking time to relish each other’s company and conversation when we break bread together?