Humbly courageous
When you are forced to be courageous in an everyday battle, humility is inevitable. This is the thought that came to mind when I was trying to think of what…
Read MoreArticles by Amy Shinneman
Why I write
Aside from a few papers in high school and college and a sporadic journal I kept, writing and I really didn’t have much of a relationship. I was sitting in…
Dear diary
Anyone else have a diary with a lock on it in your early school days? Where you kept your deepest secrets and privately wrote about your childhood crushes? Under NO…
Cloak of shame
For much of my life, I wore a heavy cloak of shame. I couldn’t shake it. Even if I was successful in ridding myself of it for a short period…
The big hill
A few years ago, my husband, my youngest son, and I went on a weekend getaway for his fall break. I told them I wanted to try a short trail…
Dear disability
Dear Disability, Half a century. That’s how long I’ve been on this earth with you. That boggles my mind. I’m angry. I’m grateful. The childhood memories with you become more…
Sweet summertime
Living in Indiana most of my life, aside from a five-year hiatus in Memphis, Tenn., I am very accustomed to the four distinct seasons. There is something to love about…
Lonely in a crowd
It’s unbelievable how heavy carrying the weight of loneliness can be. It feels crushing at times when you are living through it. The weight of an elephant, a thousand pounds…
Optimistic much?
Optimism … hopefulness and confidence about the future. Are you naturally an optimist? I am not. It’s just not the way I was wired, but I have worked to change…
Disability defined
Many of us have likely heard the phrase “my disability doesn’t define me.” What comes to mind when you hear this? This is one of those phrases that can spark…