Ann Elizabeth Grace, Author

Regular exercise has long been part of my life. For years, though, there was one thing I deliberately avoided: running. A laundry list of reasons justified this decision: fragile ankles, irritable Achilles tendons, scar tissue complications after foot surgery, and the biggie—flat feet. The risk of injury was just too high.

But inner conflict persisted. I love to run. Really, really love to run, with a passion that supersedes any other form of exercise. Denying myself this source of joy was becoming even more painful than the occasional injury. Read more…

May marks Dan’s and my two-year wedding anniversary. To celebrate, we decided to spend a few days in Venice, Italy. Hoping (in vain) to avoid huge tourist crowds, we planned our trip for the end of April.

Stepping off the overnight train and into Venice last week, groggy after a night of constant interruptions, I was swept into a sensory feast that had no bounds. Here are some samples from the buffet: Read more…