Mj PettengillFeb 8, 20202 minThe Making of a BoyPoverty is not limited to one’s socioeconomic status; it is often a predicament of the soul as well. —MjP
Mj PettengillJan 28, 20205 minThe Other Side of the TableI had a few options. I could grow stronger, or I could break. Being on the other side of the table is very different.
Mj PettengillJan 4, 20202 minWho Was Sarah Abbie Wood? Ancestral Healing: Part 1We must seek with a pure and open heart, correcting and illuminating whenever appropriate and possible.
Mj PettengillNov 23, 20191 minDown from the Tree: Book ReleaseUnworldly and innocent, he navigates merciless conditions and risks getting lost entirely, until finding comfort in a tree—a knowing tree.
Mj PettengillJun 16, 20192 minFATHERS DOWN THE LINEIf those who you called father or grandfather in this life, have departed from the earthly plane, please remember to simply speak their...
Mj PettengillMay 3, 20192 minA Regrettable TurnTraces of past beauty mingled with her expressions, tangled hair, and lined face. She had lost most of her teeth, but her smile was from...
Mj PettengillApr 18, 20192 minGo Ahead and Jump"If I could forget one face, one harrowin’ moment, it would have been when a young girl dove head first from an attic window. Time was...
Mj PettengillApr 14, 20191 minWhere Do The Children PlayI stopped when I noticed a little boy with only one arm. I could feel his heavy little heart as he sat with a tin cup in front of him and...
Mj PettengillApr 8, 20192 minPaying Homage For many years, my work has focused on cultural narrative and traditions, ancestral healing, intergenerational trauma integration, and...
Mj PettengillApr 7, 20194 minA Place For Children: ExcerptMamma told Agnes and me to go outside and play. It wasn’t a place for children. We hurried down the stairs, brushin’ past Moses and Polly...
Mj PettengillApr 4, 20192 minGrandmother Wisdom: Things I Learned From Nellie I can actually reach out the window and grab hemlock needles in a pinch. It is possible that you may have easy access, too.
Mj PettengillApr 3, 20192 minA Clear Deep PuddleIt was a pretty day. The greening had begun, and everything around me was dripping and splashing. The grass and leaves sparkled with...
Mj PettengillMar 17, 20195 minBeyond HungerDaidí managed to save the ship fare settlement that was given to him by the landlord upon our eviction in November. Because of this, in...
Mj PettengillMar 10, 20194 minNo Place Like HomeIt was hot. Lint swirled in the air like a dream—an enchanted snowy day— only instead of meltin’, it stuck to your skin, clothes, and...
Mj PettengillMar 4, 20192 minSnow for an AngelI admired the courage of the wayward girl, the one who left snow angels in our winter garden. After each storm, I tended to them,...
Mj PettengillFeb 27, 20193 minThe Cellar Was GoodAugust Wood, Lamplighter Fall River, Massachusetts February 15, 1873 The Leblancs came down from Quebec to join the others in the mills....
Mj PettengillFeb 23, 20193 minBehind Blue Eyes: Little PiggiesI stood in line with my cup. It was a special day. Silas told me that I would never want to save the pigs’ lives again after I tried the...
Mj PettengillFeb 16, 20195 minThe Great White Pine: The Tree of PeaceWhen the first English settlers arrived in America, they faced unimaginable hardships. Amongst the challenges of navigating uncharted...