“There is no such thing as too many books, just not enough shelves.”

I like to read across a lot of genres, so this month’s recommendations should give you some variety. These eight books touch on psychology and spirituality to history, memoir, and classic fiction. I found something unique and valuable in each one.

I’ve sprinkled in a few quotes as well from each book.

[See previously recommended books here]

NONFICTION

1. 100 Things We’ve Lost to the Internet
by Pamela Paul

I loved reminiscing through this list of 100 everyday experiences, habits, and connections that we used to have. Many of these things have disappeared in modern life due to the internet, for better or worse (depending on your perspective), such as:

• Getting lost
• Losing your ticket (although I can lose my digital ticket too if I forget where I have it on my phone)
• TV Guide
• Maps
• Blind dates
• Boredom

“People have always spent lots of time on the phone; the difference is that before, we spent it on actual phone calls. Imagine that.”

~ ~ ~

“What did parents in the seventies do when kids were bored in the back seat? Nothing! They let them suck in gas fumes. Torture their siblings. And since it wasn’t actually used for wearing, play with the seatbelt.”

~ ~ ~

“In my childhood view of the world, kids were either born into a fun-loving, full-color World Book Encyclopedia family or consigned to a boring, beige Encyclopedia Britannica family like mine.”

(I was definitely in an Encyclopedia Britannica family—I was fairly old before I could even understand what the entries meant. I was jealous of my friends who had the World Book set. )

2. What Matters Most
Lessons the Dying Teach Us About Living
by Diane Button

This was a beautiful telling of story after story from Diane Button’s work as a death doula with people nearing the end of life.

So, what did she find matters most? Spoiler alert: “People and relationships are the core of what matters most.”

“To die with gratitude, you must learn to live with gratitude. To die with a joyful heart, you must learn to live with a joyful heart. To die surrounded by love, you must live surrounded by love. To die in peace, you must learn to live in peace. To die well, you must learn to live well.”

3. Give and Take 
A Revolutionary Approach to Success
by Adam Grant

Who ends up more successful: givers, matchers, or takers? Do the most competitive people end up winning the most?

Adam Grant says no. His research shows that generous people—even when they’re literally giving things away—usually achieve the most extraordinary success. (This is Book # 17 for me from Daniel Pink’s 21 Favorite Books list; you can find the list here. It’s been almost a year since I started, but I’m getting there, slowly but surely….)

“Givers reject the notion that interdependence is weak. Givers are more likely to see interdependence as a source of strength, a way to harness the skills of multiple people for a greater good.”

4. When Things Don’t Go Your Way
Zen Wisdom for Difficult Times
by Haemin Sunim

So many great lessons here, and in short doses. Zen teacher Haemin Sunim writes about how to handle disappointment, uncertainty, and hardship with more peace and acceptance.

“Why are we unhappy? The answer is rather simple. We are unhappy because we can’t find peace with what is. We wish things to be different from what is happening at that moment.”

~ ~ ~

“They say that the chance of laughter is thirty times higher when you are with friends than when you are alone. We laugh only fifteen percent of the time because of something that was truly funny, while the rest of the time we laugh because those around us are laughing.”

~ ~ ~

“Which would you rather have? A thousand new followers, or one new genuine friend?”

5. Blessings and Disasters
A Story of Alabama
by Alexis Okeowo

I learned a lot of new things about my home state from journalist Alexis Okeowo. She writes about Alabama’s complex history on faith, race, politics, community, etc. As with most of America’s history, I walked away with a mixture of both shame and pride.

“The way Alabamians think about themselves is due in great part to the environment. All this abundance and its violent settlement—whoever has more force takes the spoils—have bred an entitlement to the land and a defiance to anything that is in the way.”

~ ~ ~

“Alabama has become known for the holidays it still chooses to recognize (three are in honor of the Confederacy) and those it continues to downplay (Martin Luther King Jr. Day is combined into a joint holiday with Robert E. Lee Day).”

(And just Monday we had our annual state holiday to commemorate Jefferson Davis’ birthday, the former president of the Confederate States. Really???)

~ ~ ~

“White people in the South have the most African ancestry of white people living anywhere in the country.”

6. Psychobabble
Viral Mental Health Myths & the Truths to Set You Free
by Joe Nucci

Fascinating! Joe Nucci is a psychotherapist who challenges a lot of the popular mental health advice that we see circulating on social media and everyday conversations. He writes this book for the layperson so it’s easy to understand.

“Myth #6: “Hurt People Hurt People”
Some hurt people hurt people, but many hurt people go out of their way to never hurt anyone, physically or emotionally. There are many reasons why people who do hurt others take those actions.”

FICTION

7. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
by Mark Twain

It has been a few years since I’ve read this classic novel about Jim and Huck Finn as they travel on the Mississippi River seeking Jim’s freedom and a better life. With each reading, I see a little more of Twain’s criticism of racism and social hypocrisy. I read it for a book club I’m in. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make the meeting; I always get so much more out of a book through group discussions.

I bounced back and forth between reading and listening. I found the audiobook easier because I could hear the dialects spoken into of deciphering them from the page.

“Turn him loose! he ain’t no slave; he’s as free as any cretur that walks this earth!”

8. To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee

I reread this classic for another book club I’m in. I’d forgotten some of the key parts of the story about Scout and the Finch family so I was moved (again) at how Attitcus Finch confronted prejudice in their small Alabama town. And even though I knew what was going to happen in the end, I still cried (again) when it did.

I also swapped between reading and listening this book too (yay for public libraries!). The audio version was narrated by Sissy Spacek, who was phenomenal for every character!

“You’ve got everything to lose from this, Atticus. I mean everything.”
“Do you really think so?” This was Atticus’s dangerous question.
“Do you really think you want to move there, Scout?” Bam, bam, bam, and the checkerboard was swept clean of my men.
“Do you really think that, son? Then read this.”

WHAT I’M READING NOW

• A Thousand Ways to Die
  The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America
  by Trymaine Lee
• I Belong to Me
  A Survivor’s Guide to Recovery and Hope after Religious Trauma
  by Tia Levings
• Big Time
  A Simple Path to Time Abundance
  by Laura Vanderkam
• Influence
  The Psychology of Persuasion
  by Robert B. Cialdini
• Why Won’t You Apologize?
  Healing Big Betrayals and Everyday Hurts
  by Harriet Lerner
• Anxiety Rx
  by Russell Kennedy
• The Deliverance of Hope
  The Spiritual Discipline of Writing People on Death Row
  by Wendy Ramage and Jeff Hood

Whatever you’re looking for in a book—practical wisdom, a deeper understanding of human nature, or simply a good story to enjoy—it’s sure to be out there somewhere. There are SO many books to choose from. I hope your latest stack brings you as much joy as my stack has brought me.

Have you read any of these books? Leave a comment with your thoughts—or tell me what book you recommend.

I’m sharing at these linkups

Here’s what I’ve been noticing this month: the support systems that help hold me together.

Sometimes that support is a device. Sometimes it is words, both written and spoken. And sometimes it is direct experiences with other human beings. I’m thankful for them all.

Each month I share favorite somethings from Jenn’s four categories. I also share my previous month’s One Second Everyday video.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

1. Something I Love

• SIMPLE TIMER TO KEEP ME ON TRACK

I use the timer on my phone a lot. It helps free my brain from always having to keep up with time.

For the past few years, I’ve also found it extremely helpful to have a timer on my laptop as well. This one has proven to be perfect for me: Horo Timer.

It sits easily accessible in the menu bar and does one thing only: counts down time. I set the minutes I want and hit return. It dings when the time is up.

It’s basic, which may be why it works so well. I appreciate how it keeps me on track.

 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

2. Something Sustaining Me

• FINDING PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND

In addition to our regular trusted friends, it’s also comforting to find a niche set of friends for a specific life stage or situation. Over the past year, I’ve found that in refreshing ways, mostly online, although some in person, too.

Most recently, I attended a retreat a few weeks ago with other moms where we heard keynotes from some of my favorite experts in their fields. It was informative and encouraging.

But what’s sustaining me most are the friendships that came out of that weekend and the ways we’re continuing to stay connected.

 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

3. Something Carrying Me Forward

• LIBRARY BOOKS WAITING FOR ME

Books, books, and more books!

For a few years, I’ve been able to pay a small fee to access ebooks through the Nashville, TN, library system even though I live in Alabama. However, due to recent budget cuts, they ended that option for non-Davidson County residents. I understand why; ebooks are expensive for libraries to provide. Still, I’ll greatly miss having access to their much larger collection compared to my local library system.

Before my access ended this week, I loaded my Kindle with ebooks from Nashville, then switched it to airplane mode so the books would stay on my device until I finish reading them. So for now I’m still stocked with books I really want to read but couldn’t get anywhere else (for free, anyway).

I can’t imagine what I’d do without my Kindle and public libraries.

 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

4. Something I’m Making Space For

• LEARNING FROM AND ALONGSIDE OTHERS

Almost a year ago, I signed up through a program to connect with an incarcerated pen pal. Since then, my pen pal and I have exchanged several letters and become friends.

It’s outside my comfort zone, but it’s important to me—not as an act of charity, but as a way of sharing common humanity with someone different from me for our mutual growth.

Recently, I’ve begun meeting in a Zoom group with other people on the outside who also have an incarcerated pen pal. I have much to learn from these more experienced writers because I’m still figuring things out as I go.

I’ve also been reading The Deliverance of Hope: The Spiritual Discipline of Writing People on Death Row by Jeff Hood and Wendy Ramage, who are facilitating the Zoom group. The book has already been so helpful.

Our care and support can come from the most unexpected places: a timer app, new friendships, a library full of books, and a Zoom room full of strangers writing letters.

Taken together—and along with many other things and friends—they help me keep going.

Who or what is supporting you this month? Share in the comments.

I’m linking at these blog parties

What if your One Word has been trying to get your attention?

This month, you’re invited into a simple kind of noticing: become a One Word detective in your everyday life.

Instead of forcing anything, just pay attention to what’s already here—how your word might be showing up in ordinary moments, places, and interactions. Then, capture those glimpses as a photo, when possible.

You might start to see your word appear through:

• people who cross your path
• ordinary, everyday objects
• small but meaningful moments
• places you find yourself
• unexpected little details

As you take photos, try to include yourself in at least one image—as a reminder that you are part of your word’s unfolding story, too.

My One Word Photos

Here are some beachy places I saw my word SHIFT last week.

It started Thursday night at a pretend beach for my grandson’s Pre-K graduation. He’s shifting from Pre-K to Kindergarten in the fall. (Too soon—I’m not ready for this shift.)

The next day, I shifted to the real beach with my husband.

On our daily walks on the beach, we had to shift our path several times to protect sea turtle nests and flightless chicks. (The “Bird Crossing” sign was a new one for me!)

I shifted from one book to the next all week. This quote below stood out to me. It’s a useful one now that I’m back home and might get jealous when I see others at the beach.

“The next time you find yourself envying those vacationers on social media, pause. Instead of following your gut reaction, take a moment to mentally wish them well. Observe how this small shift replaces the tightness of envy in your heart with warmth.”

Share Your One Word Update

Share your own One Word updates in the comments or add a One Word blog post in the linkup below. It will remain open until midnight, Tuesday, June 9.

You’re also welcome to share your photos in the One Word Facebook group throughout the month.

Looking ahead, the June linkup opens Friday, June 26.

The more we pay attention, the more our words seem to surface in ordinary and surprising places alike.

I’m looking forward to seeing where your word shows up this month—and where mine continues to show up, too.

Question for you:
Where have you seen your word lately (literally or metaphorically)? Share in the comments.

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• • Get more One Word ideas here

Link Up About Your One Word

Is She the Same Woman?

I’m at the airport in Reno on a Monday morning after a conference weekend at Lake Tahoe.

I think the woman at the next table eating breakfast before her flight is someone I met at the conference.

If it is her, we sat together Sunday morning on the short bus ride from our resort to watch the sunrise over Lake Tahoe with the other women attending.

I remember we had a lovely conversation sharing our circumstances and hopes for the future.

But I can’t remember her name. It had still been dark on the bus. And our conversation had only lasted about ten minutes.

Is this even her?

Maybe, maybe not.

I decide to let it go. I stay quiet. Because even if it is her, I don’t have to speak. We only met once, after all.

I eat a few more bites of my biscuit.

But the feeling keeps gnawing at me.

The Smallest Shift

Finally, I stand up. I walk over. I ask, “Were you at the conference last weekend at Lake Tahoe? I think we chatted together.”

And amazingly, she says yes!

It is the same woman.

She doesn’t remember my name either. (And honestly, I’m not sure she remembered much from our earlier conversation.)

But it doesn’t matter. We’re connecting now.

We spend a few minutes talking about our takeaways from the weekend, and before long, she asks if we can exchange contact information.

She tells me she’ll have very little support when she returns home.

I gladly give her my information and take hers.

This stranger now feels like a new friend.

Brave Doesn’t Always Look Big

I’m so glad I spoke up.

Ten minutes earlier, the decision had felt huge before I acted on it. My overthinking made it complicated. Awkward. Risky.

But it really only required a small shift: from sitting to walking. From silence to a question.

And because of that small shift, a new connection was formed. We’ve since emailed each other and will set up up a video chat soon.

More often than we realize, life offers us moments like these. Tiny invitations to move a little closer instead of pulling away. To risk being vulnerable instead of choosing safety.

Not every brave moment changes your life.

But sometimes it changes your day. And someone else’s too.

And sometimes, that’s all it takes to make a new friend.

My One Word of the Year is Shift. And my focus this month is on shifting relationships.

Who’s the newest friend who’ve made? Have any other relationships shifted lately?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

You see all kinds of people at the beach.

Families hauling coolers and umbrellas and babies. Teenagers tossing footballs. Retirees slowly walking at the edge of the water.

All kinds of humanity. Every age. Every energy level.

But one person I don’t normally see. And now I have.

He’s a man, maybe in his early thirties, strolling along with a guitar.

Not performing. Not singing. Just strumming. Sort of.

I’m not sure he knows how to play. He brushes the strings with confidence for a few moments, but the sounds aren’t quite harmonious.

Then he stops and stares at the water for a minute. Sometimes he steps toward the waves, then back away again, as if he’s negotiating with them.

I saw him again the next day.

Same clothes. Same wandering. Same guitar.

At one point I watched him point toward the ocean, almost like he was daring the waves to come closer. Then he lifted his hand as if to say, “Here and no farther.”

I don’t know his story. I don’t know whether he has people who check on him or wait for him to come home at night or worry when he doesn’t.

But I do know this: at one point, he had a mama.

Someone once carried him, fed him, watched him sleep, wondered who he would become.

And if she’s still alive—whether she’s still in his life or not—I imagine she still wonders sometimes where her boy is and how he’s doing.

Watching him on the beach, I’m wondering too.

And also aching in my heart, not only for him, but also for her.

I hope they’re both okay.

Have you ever seen a stranger and wondered about the people who love them?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

We still had an hour before we could hear the Dalai Lama speak, so we entered the white tent outside Regions Field in Birmingham, Alabama, to kill some time.

It turned out to be a bazaar of Tibetan artwork.

We watched the incredible patience of the sand artists as they worked.

We listened to another monk explain the meaning of the mandala.

We wandered around the tables and took in the beautiful pieces of art and the collection of words for sale.

It was a feast for the eyes.

And then I spotted this . . . something for my heart.

At the time, Compassion was my One Word of the Year. It was what brought us to Birmingham this day to listen to the Dalai Lama, one of the world’s passionate contenders for compassion.

So I knew I had to take this scroll home as a tangible reminder of the year.

And as a reminder that when we seek to give compassion, we are often given compassion.

I share the words from this scroll here with you.

My year with compassion was a wonderful journey that continues to stick with me, long after the calendar turned to a new year.

Thanks to all who leave comments. Your compassionate words teach me more than you know. May you in turn receive your own gifts of compassion, individually wrapped just for you.

What unexpected gift of compassion have you received lately? Please share.

Read more:

• What the Dalai Lama Taught Me About Responsibility, Kindness, and Connection
  In honor of the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday on July 5, 2025, a personal reflection on his timeless messages.
• 5 Things I Learned from the Dalai Lama
  The Dalai Lama’s name kept surfacing as I researched “compassion.” So when he came to Birmingham, I had to go. Here are 5 things I learned.

revised from the archives

“A word after a word after a word is power.”
— Margaret Atwood

My books this month were great for both stretching my imagination (like, Remarkably Bright Creatures) and reflecting on our humanity (like, How to Feel Loved).

Here are the four nonfiction and two fiction books I just finished that I recommend.

[See previously recommended books here]

NONFICTION

1. Braving the Truth
Essential Essays for Reckoning with and Reimagining Faith
by Rachel Held Evans

Even though we lost Rachel too soon on May 4, 2019, her words and messages live on. Her friend Sarah Bessey compiled some of Rachel’s writings into this book, adding in several current essays from Rachel’s friends and family. It’s a powerful and beautiful collection of ideas about wrestling with faith and doubt and humanity.

2. The Unfolding: Poems
by Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer

Just wow. I’m not really a poetry reader (just a wannabe), but Rosemerry’s poems are short enough yet full to overflowing to keep me captivated. They remind me to notice more of the sacredness found in our ordinary moments.

3. How to Feel Loved
The Five Mindsets That Get You More of What Matters Most
by Sonja Lyubomirsky

This title caught my eye because we usually see books about how to be more loving, but this one was how to be more loved. Or to recognize and be aware of it anyway. Often we’re more loved than we even realize.

The five shifts to feel loved are adopting a sharing mindset, listening-to-learn mindset, radical-curiosity mindset, open-heart mindset, and multiplicity mindset.

4. Nations Apart
How Clashing Regional Cultures Shattered America
by Colin Woodard

This felt like a long book, but I think it’s because it was SO full of data. It was mind-blowing to me to see how America is divided so deeply along regional roots from the beginning of our country’s founding. We may intuitively know this, but to see it spelled out chapter after chapter through so many examples was quite startling.

If you care about this type of cultural analysis through history to better understand what’s going on in America now, this is a great book to sit with.

FICTION

5. Remarkably Bright Creatures
by Shelby Van Pelt

This novel is a breath of fresh air. It’s a tender (and surprising!) story about people finding their way in this world despite loneliness and life’s hardships. And it involves an octopus as a main character! A movie adaptation is set to release on Netflix this month.

6. Last Chance Live!
by Helena Haywoode Henry

On the other extreme, this novel shows a darker side of humanity. But also a tender side. I read it for a book club. And the author is going to join us when we meet this month! I’m so curious to hear why she wrote this book.

The premise: Ten death row inmates between the ages of 18-21 volunteer to compete for America’s votes in a reality TV show. The winner wins everything—total freedom and exoneration of all crimes. But the nine losers? They lose all rights to appeal their sentences and are executed within days of getting kicked off the show.

The contestants form bonds with each other, but still have to compete with each other to save their own lives. It’s a harrowing story that I hope would never happen in real life.

WHAT I’M READING NOW

• A Thousand Ways to Die
  The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America
  by Trymaine Lee
• The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
  by Mark Twain
• Give and Take
  A Revolutionary Approach to Success
  by Adam M. Grant
• I Belong to Me
  A Survivor’s Guide to Recovery and Hope after Religious Trauma
  by Tia Levings
• Big Time
  A Simple Path to Time Abundance
  by Laura Vanderkam
• That’s Not How You Wash a Squirrel
  by David Thorne

A Closing Reflection

Taken together, books like these remind us to stay curious and to keep connecting with each other.

What’s a good book you’re recommending this month? I’d love to hear in the comments.

I’m sharing at these linkups

Here are brief summaries and links to posts on the blog, Lisa notes, from April 2026.

• Sharing 4 Somethings from April 2026 (4/29)
  A reflective April 2026 recap featuring four meaningful moments—family, seasonal joys, friendship, and small mindset shifts.
• This Month’s Wordy Invitation: Write a Poem or Blessing (4/26)
  Here’s an invitation to reflect on your One Word by writing a simple poem or blessing—even if you don’t have a word of the year.
• Feeling Off? Try These 6 Small Physical Shifts for a Reset (4/21)
  These tiny shifts can gently improve your mood, energy, and focus—no big changes required.
• Let Go of Being Right – When Being Right Is Wrong (and Dangerous) (4/14)
  When is being right, wrong? Here are 3 dangers to being right and how to let go of them.
• Whatever Happens, We’ll Handle It (4/9)
  We’ll never be abandoned without resources of some sort. Depend on that. Whatever happens, we’ll handle it.
• The Stories We Listen To: 6 (and 1/2) Books That Invite You to Pay Attention (4/3)
  A roundup of 6 (and 1/2) powerful books about storytelling, awareness, and the importance of paying attention to life’s deeper messages.

See previous months’ archives here

Some months go by faster than others—not because of big events per se, but because small, steady moments just stack up. April was one of those months for me.

Here are four things I’ve been noticing, savoring, and making room for lately. Each month I share favorite somethings from Jenn’s four categories.

I also share my previous month’s One Second Everyday video.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

1. Something I Loved

• LEARNING TEE-BALL

Our little grandson continues to explore extracurricular activities, and this spring it’s tee-ball. It’s been an educational experience for this grandmother, who knows nothing about the game for this young age.

I’ve had such fun watching him and the other boys and girls figure it all out in real time—how to be part of a team while also navigating the very real distractions of childhood.

There’s dirt to play in, airplanes to watch overhead, and the occasional pull to just fall down on the ground or wrestle with a teammate . . . all the while also learning how to catch balls and run bases.

It’s equal parts chaos and charm, and I’m loving every minute I get to watch.

 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

2. Something Sustaining Me

• SAVORING THE BERRIES

I love strawberry season.

With the gallons I bought, I’ve been making all the things. Last weekend was strawberry shortcake. This week we made several batches of strawberry jam, followed by a strawberry pie. My favorite strawberry cake is still to come.

And in between all of that, I’ve been eating plenty of berries straight from the bowl.

It’s been a steady culinary delight (and might also explain my occasional tummy ache the past few days, lol).

 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

3. Something Carrying Me Forward

• SHOWING UP FOR EACH OTHER

Over the past two months, I’ve been spending more time with a dear friend. After having a serious skin cancer removed, she’s needed help getting to and from doctor’s appointments.

As I expected, what started as simply offering her a ride has turned into treasured time catching up. Our weekly visits have felt like old times.

My friend is one of those people who brightens a room the moment she walks in—friendly and full of compliments to friends and strangers alike.

Being around her again has been a gift I didn’t realize I was in need of.

 ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

4. Something I’m Making Space For

• SURPRISE OR NO SURPRISE?

Jigsaw puzzles have always been a stress-reliever for me—they’re my guilty pleasure. This latest puzzle though, loaned to me by a friend, has been a challenge.

It’s a Mystery Puzzle by Odd Pieces.

Odd Pieces Mystery Jigsaw Puzzle – Snack Attack

The trickiest part?

The image on the box doesn’t exactly match the finished puzzle. It’s close, but not the same. The box shows a “before” scene of a school day, while the completed puzzle reveals a mystery that happens 15 seconds later as the “after” scene.

I struggled with it, moving so slowly for a while that I was almost ready to give up. Then I decided I could break the rules and work from the “after” image.

It made all the difference!

Once I could see what it was supposed to look like, it moved along quickly—and the fun came back. Sometimes a shift in perspective is all it takes to move forward again.

What’s something you enjoyed in April?

Share your thoughts in the comments.

I’m linking at these blog parties

Maybe you chose a specific One Word for the year. Or maybe you didn’t.

Either way, here’s a way to reconnect with something that feels meaningful to you right now. It need not be permanent.

For the new few weeks, try this :
Play with your One Word (or any word that is capturing your attention) by creating more words around it.

Write a Poem

You don’t have to be a poet (I’m not) to write a poem. It can be small and simple. Or not.

You might:

• Write a 3-line haiku
• Create an acrostic using your word
• Jot down a few lines of free verse
• Try blackout poetry with a page from a book or magazine

Or, if writing feels like too much, find a poem that already exists and notice how your word shows up in it. Is there any word or phrase you’d like to change?

Here are a few of my playful creations with my One Word Shift: 

FREE VERSE

SHIFT

While we weren’t looking
After the lean winter
The tree swells fat again

Our gaze turns round to see
The brown skinny limb
Now muscled up green and full

Without our endorsement
With none of our guidance
The leaves create the perfect shift

BLACKOUT POEM

I revisited my first blog post on Shift from New Year’s Day and printed it out. Then crossed out words to make a blackout poem from it.

You can read it easier here:

I open cold.
Practice noticing deeper breaths.
Looking for differences
stirred on the lungs, heart, brain.
Traveling on ordinary changes
affects my world,
speeding or slowing.
Important shifts
align underneath
the direction freely designed
Plans accommodate growth.
Certainty changes.
Stay grateful for
shifts.

Write a Prayer or Blessing

If poetry feels intimidating, try a prayer or blessing instead.

Think of it as a gentle offering to yourself or someone else.

It could be:

• A hope for your day
• An offering of support
• A line of gratitude
• A phrase to carry with you

It can be one sentence. Or maybe a paragraph. Maybe you’ll write it down or maybe you just keep it in your head.

You might even take a favorite quote, scripture, or passage and weave your word into it. 

Here’s the blessing I wrote for you:

A BLESSING FOR LIFE

May your turns swing smooth,
May your winds sway slight,
May your path spin forward,
And may your love shift deep.

Share What You Discover

However you choose to engage with a word this month, I’d love to hear about it. You can leave a comment below or add your own blog link here through Sunday, May 10.

Looking ahead: our One Word linkup for May opens Tuesday, May 26.

Question for you:
What word have you been hearing lately?

If you’d like to receive our monthly One Word emails and ideas for 2026, join here.

• • Get more One Word ideas here

Link Up About Your One Word