Spring is a time of new beginnings. It is a promise of letting go and starting anew. As winter holds us firmly and unrelentingly in her grasp this season, we need this promise of new beginnings – more than ever – as our shining light through the bleakness of this transitional time of year. New beginnings can signify a…
Crystal Joy
I am a dreamer. I am an artist. I am an adventure-seeker. I am a storyteller. I am a wife. I am a mommy. I am a cancer survivor. My name is Crystal Joy Hall. Share in my journey at crystaljoyhall.com.
I remember when I was younger – much younger – I could not imagine what my life would be like when I reached adulthood. I simply couldn’t envision any aspect of my life. I didn’t imagine the house, the career, the family … I was just me. I was whimsical. I was living in the moment, and following my passions…
I would like to think that these past few weeks have been wonderful – and for some of the time they have been – but sadly they have brought about their own set of frustration, concern, and disappointment. As a parent, you never want to see your child hurting or struggling, and that is what we have bore witness to;…
Of late I have felt restless. Restless in my marriage, restless in parenting, restless in my everyday life. Just restless. I cannot calm my mind and I cannot calm my body. At times I feel as though I am suppressing something. Then I realize that something is me. There are so many conditions that surround marriage and parenting. With…
Valentine’s Day. A celebration of romance and romantic love… Valentine’s Day can be very difficult for some. It is a day in which we celebrate romance and romantic love. It is a day of grand gestures – chocolates, flowers, dinner out, cards – but for some it can exasperate feelings of loneliness, heartache, and discouragement. It can be isolating….
Surviving breast cancer has it’s own set of challenges, hurdles, and set-backs. Your body has changed. Your mindset is altered. Your courage is challenged, almost daily, because you can never truly let go of the fear and the angst. You learn to function with it always being present. You learn to control it. You re-teach yourself how to live in…
Looking back and reading through my posts, I realize that I have written quite a lot about the trials of parenting a young child through the various stages: the Thunderous Threes, The Tempestuous Threes, My Little Epiphany, The Art of Saying No; and though I have also written a few posts that reflect upon the joy and beauty that comes…
Once upon a time I used to be an actor… I performed in commercials, a TV documentary, made-for-TV movies, independent films, various stage productions, and theatre for young audiences. It was performing for a young audience that I found most gratifying. It moved me to see young children engaged in the story that I and my fellow actors were…
In my previous post Riding the Waves I touched on my overwhelming feelings of loneliness, and my personal struggle in finding that magical ‘Christmas Spirit’. Well, I have ridden the waves and am currently in a pool of calm and serenity. It is an unfamiliar feeling for me, and I’m very grateful to be experiencing this sense of peacefulness. I attribute…
It is the Christmas Season. And though we are going through the motions – decorating, baking, buying gifts, donating, visits to Santa, the Santa Claus parade, watching Christmas movies, listening to Christmas music, advent calendars, and so on and so forth – of late I simply have not felt that ‘Christmas Spirit’. I feel restless. I feel sad. I feel…