The fork is an imperfect apparatus. It's not fully enclosed, making it a challenge to totally secure food. It's also not very ergonomic, with an over-simplified design that ignores how many fingers we have. It's clear why the journey of a forkful of food, from plate to mouth, has its ups and downs. When the downs land in our laps, we scramble, dipping paper napkins into our water glasses. We try to play it cool, while we silently stress about whether the newly stained clothing was "dry clean only" or not. But when spills happen, and they will, there are steps we can take to minimize (or MAXIMIZE!) the damage. Here's a few non-traditional strategies for de-escalating a stain debacle:

Every life is its own journey, but when examined within the context of history, even the smallest, seemingly intimate traditions can take on greater meaning. Meet my grandmother, Grace - who taught me that in a world of fences, the most beautiful places are filled with color.

"It's time," my father whispered as he tiptoed into my room. It was well past my bedtime, but I was wide awake, and ready for our secret mission. "Do you have the Barbie?", I whispered back to him. "Yes, she's in the car waiting for us. C'mon. Bundle up. It's cold outside." Dressed more like the Michelin Man than agents prepared for covert operations, we crunched across the Colorado snow.

by Mary Bowers Las Vegas, Nevada –  it’s the place where fortunes are won and lost in a moment. A roll of the dice or a spin of the wheel and life can change in an instant. Grief washed over me as Michelle Lesco gently pulled me away from the table, tears rolling down my