The past beats inside me like a second heart.

Grandma's front door.

This past weekend was filled with violence and loss and overwhelming sadness. I don't understand how people can be so cruel and hateful. It just doesn't make sense to me.

In a world where such tragedies happen far too often, I sometimes wonder if I would be better off hearing about them as a child. As children, we didn't truly understand what all of these things meant. We didn't understand hate or violence or cruelty or even death. We understood kindness and friends and acceptance. I wish I still lived in a world where I thought everyone believed in those things, practiced those things, lived those things.

"Mary Poppins,” he cried, “you’ll never leave us, will you?"

I think we can all agree that Mary Poppins is the ultimate nanny. Luckily, I'm just like her. Well, almost.

Did Mary Poppins ever play whiffle ball or tennis? Did she ever go hiking or take a trip to Living History Farms? Well, I do. She was a great nanny, but I guess she didn't do a lot of the active stuff. She stuck to her never-ending bag and spoonfuls of sugar, and we love her for it. I do my own nanny thing {including the whiffle ball}, but I still take a few cues from Ms. Poppins.