A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes

Jamie A. Hughes is a writer-editor living in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, two sons, and a pair of very needy cats. She was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS in 2004 when she was just 25 years old. A lover of words since birth, she wasn’t about to let two little letters get her down. They don’t get the last word. And that’s why she writes her column — to help those dealing with MS to live more thoughtful, hopeful, and inspired lives.

April 2, 2021March 31, 2021

The Beginning of Spring Reminds Me That the World Is So Wonder-full

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

The daffodils are in full bloom. There are leaves on my Japanese red maple tree again. Seeds are going into the garden. Yes, the cruel season known as winter is ... Read more

March 19, 2021March 17, 2021

‘I’d Prefer Not To’: Confronting the Tasks We Don’t Want to Do

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

For a week, I’ve spent my afternoons painting our enclosed garden. When we built it last spring, the wood was new and lovely, but rain and sun have taken a ... Read more

March 5, 2021March 2, 2021

This Is What Love Looks Like

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

Last night, as I was grumpily prowling through a pile of overpriced red and white striped hats looking for one that would fit my fifth grader, I asked myself, Why ... Read more

February 19, 2021February 17, 2021

Miracles From a Pile of Broken Glass

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I’ve recently been sucked into watching “Blown Away” on Netflix. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, it’s a reality TV show in which 10 master glass artists ... Read more

February 5, 2021February 2, 2021

A Catalogue of Tiny Gratitudes

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I know quite a few of you are dealing with copious amounts of snow right now, but there is not a speck of white stuff on the ground where I ... Read more

January 22, 2021January 20, 2021

‘Soon May the Wellerman Come’: Connecting Through Music

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

As hard as it is to believe, we’re now nearly a year into this pandemic. Thankfully, two vaccines are currently working their way through the system and into people’s arms ... Read more

January 8, 2021January 11, 2021

The Hidden Blessing of Routines, Even in Times of Grief

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

The holidays can be difficult for many reasons, but one of the things I struggle with is the breakdown of routines. The kids are home from school and spend way ... Read more

December 18, 2020December 15, 2020

Reclaiming Our Power When We Feel Powerless

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I don’t know about you all, but when I first learned I had multiple sclerosis, I felt utterly powerless. Weak. Beaten down. Cornered. Cowed. Yes, I experienced all of these ... Read more

December 4, 2020December 1, 2020

Both Now and Someday

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very ... Read more

November 20, 2020November 19, 2020

On Being Truly Thankful

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

Well, friends, we are coming to the end of 2020. Thanksgiving is next week, and believe it or not, Christmas is just around the corner. And while I can’t say ... Read more

November 6, 2020November 4, 2020

5 Ways to Let Go of the Stress

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

Well, folks, we made it to the end of a very long political season and an even longer week. I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel a bit ... Read more

October 23, 2020October 22, 2020

On Theme and Variations

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

A few weeks back, I listened to a segment on NPR’s “Here & Now” featuring superstar pianist Lang Lang and his latest recording project. I’m still thinking about it. He decided ... Read more

October 16, 2020October 22, 2020

Peace, My Heart, Peace

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

Despite the melatonin and Kava tea, the hot baths and weighted blanket, I’m not sleeping very well these days. I haven’t been for months actually. In addition to the “low-burn” ... Read more

October 2, 2020September 30, 2020

Balance Is Relative

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

Multiple sclerosis has taught me many lessons over the last 16 years, and one of the most lasting ones has been about finding balance. I can’t run like a madwoman ... Read more

September 18, 2020September 16, 2020

Who We Are and What We Do

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

We’re now moving into the sixth month of quarantine, and it’s looking more and more like the world isn’t going to snap back to the way it was before all ... Read more

September 4, 2020September 1, 2020

Finding Soul Food in a Butterfly’s Visit

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I don’t know about you, but these last few months have been rough. Like, I-want-to-crawl-under-my-weighted-blanket-with-a-hot-water-bottle-clutched-to-my-midsection-and-listen-to-Chopin’s-“Nocturnes”-on-an-endless-loop rough. Life’s just like that sometimes, especially when you have multiple sclerosis. Ever since the ... Read more

August 21, 2020August 18, 2020

What’s Haiku With You?

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I don’t know about you, but most mornings my brain feels like it’s full of hyperactive gerbils. This could be my multiple sclerosis, or it could be pandemic brain fog. ... Read more

August 7, 2020August 5, 2020

Being Freed by Who I Am

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

Every few days, I go out to our Little Free Library and change the messages on the two side walls, which are covered in chalkboard paint. One of my missives ... Read more

July 17, 2020July 14, 2020

What Will We Do?

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I recently started writer David Sedaris’ MasterClass, and one piece of advice he keeps reiterating is the importance of keeping a diary, a daily record of your doings and dealings ... Read more

June 19, 2020June 17, 2020

Beach, Please!

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

My family just returned from a lovely week-long vacation on the Gulf of Mexico. It’s always a wonderful time (and one perfectly suited to socially isolating) because we literally do ... Read more

June 5, 2020June 3, 2020

When Roses Change, Color Me Surprised

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns, Covid-19

Right now, it’s tempting to feel hopeless. COVID-19 is still out there with no vaccine in sight. Millions of people are out of work. And regardless of how you feel ... Read more

May 22, 2020May 21, 2020

Eugene Peterson and Lessons About Intentional Living

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

The last few months have been interesting for obvious reasons. All of our routines have been toppled over like a stack of blocks, things that were once mundane now feel ... Read more

May 8, 2020May 7, 2020

How to Release Fear

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I just turned 42, and though I am wiser and stronger and more independent than I was a few decades ago, not everything is coming up roses. Some days, I ... Read more

April 17, 2020April 15, 2020

Ralph and the Cherry on Top of Life

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I have a new personal hero. His name is Ralph Wendorf. We probably don’t have much in common. He’s not even an MS patient! I’ve never met him, and I ... Read more

April 3, 2020April 7, 2020

How to Make Working from Home Work for You

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I just finished my third week of working from home due to the coronavirus, and I’ve learned a few things about what it takes to be successful outside of the ... Read more

March 20, 2020December 15, 2020

Divide and Conquer: Bravery in the Face of the Coronavirus

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns, Covid-19

I don’t know if you’ve heard or not, but there’s this coronavirus thing going around. And it is disrupting everything from concerts and conferences to schools and my kids’ recreation ... Read more

March 6, 2020March 5, 2020

I Must Confess that I Love Needles

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

As someone with 16 years of MS experience, I’ve grown to hate needles. I only have to give myself three shots a week now instead of seven, but I dread ... Read more

February 21, 2020February 19, 2020

Thinking Outside the Box

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

There’s a story I love to tell about my dad, a retail warrior with more than 30 years of experience under his belt. And it’s one that I think is ... Read more

February 7, 2020February 5, 2020

Give It a Rest, Will Ya?

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

Jan. 1, 2020 was a special day in our house, and not just because a new decade came into being. (Or did it?) It marked our 20th wedding anniversary, and ... Read more

January 10, 2020January 7, 2020

Keep It Real: What’s in Your Window Display?

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I read a sad tweet last night (though, in a way, aren’t all of them somewhat sad?) in which a woman told a story about her friend who had just ... Read more

December 20, 2019December 19, 2019

This Magic Potion Made the ‘Throat Thing’ Disappear

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

After I wrote my last column about essential oils to combat the common cold, I knew I was doomed to catch something. And that’s what happened … kinda. A few ... Read more

December 6, 2019December 5, 2019

Cold? What Cold?!

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

As an MS patient, I’m always on the lookout for something that will help me stay healthy. Though doctors say flu shots are OK for us, they’re not for me. ... Read more

November 22, 2019November 20, 2019

Making (and Appreciating) Space

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

As an MS patient (and an insatiable polymath), I’m always on the lookout for new information. Recently, I learned about an interesting concept in Japanese culture called “Ma,” and ever ... Read more

November 8, 2019November 7, 2019

Simple Signs with Messages of Hope Resonate with Me

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I’m not a superstitious person always on the lookout for signs and omens. I don’t read the wrappers on Dove chocolates or seek life advice from the paper slips inside ... Read more

October 25, 2019October 22, 2019

Mystery Keeps Me Pushing Forward: I Wonder What I’ll Do Next

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

If there’s one thing the internet is good for, it’s inspirational quotes. They’re usually paired with a picture of a woman at the beach, her arms open to the sunrise, ... Read more

October 11, 2019October 10, 2019

‘The Land Is Better’: Embracing Highs and Lows

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I recently read “The Animal Family” by Randall Jarrell. It’s considered a children’s book, but like many stories written for kids, it has much to offer grown-up readers. The story ... Read more

September 27, 2019September 24, 2019

Violence Can Ensue When We Don’t Rest

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

One of the best things about my job is something called fact-checking. Before publishing an article, we go through all the stats, facts, quotes, and assertions, researching their validity. That’s ... Read more

September 6, 2019September 3, 2019

I Did Not See That (Ulcer) Coming

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

Like most of you, I take medication for my multiple sclerosis. Copaxone is my medication of choice, though I have recently switched to the generic version, glatiramer acetate. I’ve taken ... Read more

August 23, 2019August 21, 2019

I Am Grateful for Everything — Even MS

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

Last week, CNN’s Anderson Cooper broadcast an interview with “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert. They had a lively discussion about comedy, politics, careers, and the like, but perhaps the ... Read more

August 9, 2019August 27, 2019

Looking Forward, Looking Back

A Life in Letters – a Column by Jamie Hughes, Columns

I am now 41, at the beginning of “middle age,” and I’m tempted to give it the middle finger. It’s a halfway point, a layover, a way station — a ... Read more