Literature – Red Tent Living

Escaping Wonderland

By: redtentwomen March 11, 2022February 22, 2022

Femininity, Intentional Living, Literature, Monthly ThemesAlice in Wonderland, Lynn Roberson, Queen of Hearts, Self Protection, Sexual Abuse, Vulnerabilty7 Comments

“Off with their heads!” the short-tempered, fiery-haired female screeched. My mind recalls watching “Alice in Wonderland” as a young, impressionable girl. I was fascinated by the whimsical story, enthralled by my childhood curiosity. Now a mature woman, my curiosity pulls me back to the scene when Alice meets the Queen of Hearts. I ponder why…

Daughter of Eve

By: redtentwomen January 26, 2022January 25, 2022

Femininity, Intentional Living, Literature, Monthly ThemesC.S. Lewis, Curiosity, Susan Tucker, The Chronicles of Narnia, Wednesday in the Weeds, Young self6 Comments

Considering the avid reader I was during my childhood and adolescence, it still surprises me that I never read The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. It wasn’t until the theatrical release of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in 2005 that I finally took my first trip to Aslan’s country. I remember feeling…

I Went Home to Teach, and It’s Okay

By: redtentwomen October 15, 2021October 14, 2021

Intentional Living, Literature, Monthly ThemesEducation, job satisfaction, prestige, Ralana Jamea, Teaching4 Comments

I come from an accomplished family. My mother and father have done well for themselves. My brother’s a doctor, and my sister’s in environmental science. It’s the kind of family in which there’s an unspoken expectation of concrete careers and a certain prestige.

A Story of Love Lost and Found

By: redtentwomen July 5, 2021June 23, 2021

Art, Intentional Living, Literature, Monthly ThemesBeth Bruno, creativity, discouragement, Publishing, Writing11 Comments

A long time ago, I read. I read books I paid for that I wouldn’t need to review, to interview the author, or to underline because I was studying the plot structure. A long time ago, I wrote. I journaled, sent newsletters, started blogs (five and counting), and submitted articles. A long time ago, I…

Sheltered in Place

By: redtentwomen May 26, 2020June 3, 2020

LiteratureCOVID-19, Heather Medley, Poetry2 Comments

I am numb, mindlessly scrolling. Familiar businesses post new guidelines for safety. The words “contactless” and “social distancing” impact me. I am surprised by an ache and try to make space for her.

broken is not Broken

By: redtentwomen May 18, 2020May 17, 2020

Day to Day, Faith, LiteratureAnne Pharr, Breakable, Competent and Capable, Poetry3 Comments

“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars . . . .”– 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NLT) Why do I try so hard to be Intact— to hold together these shards even as I watch fragments fall through my fingers, sharp edges stinging my thin skin,…

The Gray Whale

By: redtentwomen May 8, 2020August 6, 2020

LiteratureLiz Nelson, Poetry3 Comments

The massive gray whale lingered In a moment of suspended animation as She is ascending from the ocean floor up To exchange a drag of air The vast navy blue depths hold her Weightlessly Effortlessly

The Swimmer

By: redtentwomen May 5, 2020May 4, 2020

Day to Day, Faith, Literature, UncategorizedBarbara Beecham, Joy, Peace, Poetry, Sadness9 Comments

Sadness swims inside of me. Doing the backstroke across my heart. Flipping and repeating, gracefully kicking backwards as it observes where it has been.