I stand at the podium, sweaty hands clinging to my notes. My right knee shakes a little. I shift my weight and it stops. My mouth feels dry and my heart is pounding. I take a deep breath, look down at my notes, and then look up again at the…

“Let us go forth, the tellers of tales, and seize whatever prey the heart longs for, and have no fear. Everything exists, everything is true, and the earth…

“You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one” — John Lennon, lyrics to Imagine I’ve been quieter here, in this online space, than usual.…

Note: This post was in response to a question posed by the TODAY Parenting Team, in which they asked members to share their summer stories, advice and survival secrets. This post can be seen on the TODAY Parenting site here. ************ In summers past, I have alternated between counting down…