When the Bomb Goes Off
It’s easy to be lulled into a false sense of security, to think you’re the supreme authority in your…
Articles by Jamie Hughes
I Am So Much More than My MS
Every personality test and trait indicator quiz I take tells me the same thing: I’m a polymath. Basically, it’s…
A Look Around the Terminal
It’s spring — at least, it’s supposed to be — so getting stuck at the airport due to snow…
You Only Think You Know
When I tell people I have multiple sclerosis, I usually get one of three responses: • “Oh, no! I…
Just Do It
Mary Schmich, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune, wrote a 1997 essay aimed at graduates. In it, she shared…
Up with the Volume, Down with the Noise
Mahatma Gandhi once said, “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” That’s not a lesson modern American…
Rest on the Water: A Flirtation with Flotation to Find Silence
I’m currently working on an essay about the power of silence. And, in the process of planning this thing,…
Chicken Soup Has Super Powers
Get plenty of rest. Drink lots of warm fluids. Use a humidifier. Gargle and flush your sinuses with…
We Are Streams that Sing
Wendell Berry, a novelist, poet, farmer and environmental activist, has written a number of superb books. Don’t believe…
The Greatest Gifts
Christmas is just around the corner, and that’s why many people are on the fruitless quest for Fingerlings…
Holding ‘Space’ for Others
When a friend or loved one is going through a tough time, it’s hard to know how best…
Don’t Be a Turkey
Because I come from a retail family — one that, for decades, put in long hours behind cash registers…
Meowmaste: Finding a Spark Inside Myself
“We don’t say the ‘D word’ here,” our instructor said. “Just for tonight, let’s all get into downward-facing…
Life’s Too Short
Both of my sons — and, if I’m being honest, my husband — love Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. Yes,…
Shanah Tovah: Celebrating Each Year of Your MS Journey
I became a Christian when I was 8, and though I’ve wrestled with my faith at various points…
This Too Shall Pass
I posted this meme on social media last week with the caption “Current Life Status,” hoping a laugh…
Exploring Systems Beneath the Streets, Beneath the Skin
Our bodies are amazing creations, lovingly handcrafted by an infinitely powerful and creative God, and I never get…
Cover to Cover, Books of All Kinds Can Lift Your Life
In “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft,” as excellent a book about wordcraft as has ever been set…
Sharpen Your Sense of Joy
Believe it or not, summer is nearing its end, and a new school year is upon us. I…
What’s Your Strength?
I have a co-worker who can meet someone and 10 minutes later know their life’s story. Heck, she…
Go, Go Avocado!
I don’t normally go in for trends. For example, I don’t own a single pair of skinny jeans.
All the Power You Possess: How ‘Wonder Woman’ Reminds Us Who We Are
Like millions of other fans, I happily plunked down $13 to launch “Wonder Woman” into blockbuster status on…
One Man’s Playground is Another Man’s Horror
Multiple sclerosis has a way of messing with one’s head. Whether it’s emotional or psychiatric disorders, fatigue,…
Make Some Noise: The Importance of Concerts
Pull up a chair, kiddos, and I’ll tell you a sad story. Because we’re both musicians, my husband…
Look What the Cat Dragged In!
Like one third of America, I’m a cat lover. I’ve had kitties in my house since I…
39 Years and Counting — on at Least 39 More Great Ones
Last week, I celebrated by 39th birthday. Yes, 39. That’s one year shy of the big 4-0. The…
Spring is an Apt Time to Reflect on MS and Hope
T.S. Eliot’s opens his masterwork The Waste Land with four stunning lines of verse: April is the…
A Word, If You Please
Thirteen years ago, a neurologist sat on the edge of my hospital bed and told me, “You have…
MS Awareness Month: Which Ribbon Are We Again?
March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month. That means we need to make the most of these…
Play On: What Baseball Has Taught Me About MS
When people ask me what I love, I usually respond, “God, my family, and St. Louis Cardinals baseball…