Elizabeth White Olsen

The Fall Creek Together Unity Car Parade

Already about a dozen cars had converged when Glenn and I arrived at Fall Creek Elementary in Humble, Texas recently for the Fall Creek Together Unity Car Parade. The parade was an equal mix of Black* and white families, with one or two Latinx families. Most of the posters hung in windows shared statements aboutContinue reading “The Fall Creek Together Unity Car Parade”

Holding My Mother’s Hand

One of the things I miss most during this pandemic is travel. Last year my mom took me to Santa Fe to celebrate my 42nd birthday, and as I approached my 43rd, I kept thinking about our trip. Strange, because I don’t tend to reminisce, I tend to look ahead. But always looking ahead, alwaysContinue reading “Holding My Mother’s Hand”

Praying In The Pandemic

Being confined by the floods of Hurricane Harvey prepared me for this pandemic. The pandemic has been far more destructive than Harvey, in that it’s on a global scale, but in the day-to-day—in the confinement amidst terror and general topsy-turviness—the experiences have felt similar. In August 2017, as water pounded the roof for days onContinue reading “Praying In The Pandemic”

Bike Ride Through The Woods

We are under so much stress right now as we try to adapt to this new stay-at-home lifestyle—and try to adapt under a heavy burden of fear. Many also face financial stress. I’m on furlough from my job during COVID-19, since my nonprofit work depends upon public meetings. My husband Glenn’s job, since it dependsContinue reading “Bike Ride Through The Woods”

New And Fun Stay-At-Home Activities

New & Fun Stay-At-Home Activities To help rise above the gloom of this pandemic, I added these two plans to my daily life guidelines (FYI, all eight guidelines are outlined in my first post): Do something new every week. Do something fun every day. A friend asked what new, fun things I’m doing or planContinue reading “New And Fun Stay-At-Home Activities”

Finding Order In The Chaos

One of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to finish all the laundry by Sunday night. I didn’t accomplish this resolution, not even once–until coronavirus. I accomplished it for the first time a couple weekends ago, at the end of our second week of staying-at-home, other than to get groceries and take walks. IContinue reading “Finding Order In The Chaos”

My Wedding Ring

To fulfill my coronavirus stay-at-home guideline to “do something new” this week, I made a piece of art, this tiny colored pencil drawing. This is my wedding ring. I wear it all the time. The first few weeks of our marriage, I would slip it off before getting in bed. One morning Glenn noticed. “WhyContinue reading “My Wedding Ring”

Why I’m Writing

I’m writing because dealing with the coronavirus pandemic has been hard. I don’t know anyone who has gotten sick yet, but the experience has still been difficult. I’m tired of feeling fear, anger, and grief over the current and potential future losses in my life, our nation’s life and in countries across the world. It’sContinue reading “Why I’m Writing”