💫 The Impressions We Leave Behind

Did you know that once you become an Aunt, that’s it—you’re an Aunt for life? It doesn’t matter if your husband dies or you divorce him. You still hold that title. I’ll always be Aunt Wanda, and Phyllis will always be Aunt Phyllis. That doesn’t change just because life does.

When I talk about the Chappells, I’m talking about people I met nearly 60 years ago. Gary’s been gone for 37 years, and yet I still have relationships with his family. These days, I’ve had to step back from some of those connections to make space for new ones—with Rick and his family. But that doesn’t mean the love and respect I have for the Chappells has faded. Not one bit.

🌐 Reconnecting Through the Screen

And then there’s Facebook—that little modern miracle.

It’s brought people back into my life I hadn’t talked to in 50 years. (Sorry, grandkids… you’ve gotta live a little longer before you can say that!)

Some of these folks knew me back in high school—back when I was still figuring out who I was. And now? They get to know me as an adult. We may not be able to sit across from each other, touch hands, or look one another in the eye like we once could, but here we are—still connected. Through messages. Through memories. Through a glowing screen that somehow manages to feel like a front porch swing.

💭 Every Word Leaves a Mark

If you’re younger and reading this, I want you to really think about something:
What kind of impression will you leave behind?
How will people remember you?

Because whether you realize it or not, you’re leaving a little piece of yourself behind every time you open your mouth.

When you snap at the grocery store cashier because you’re having a bad day, you might be adding weight to theirs. But what if, instead, you chose kindness? What if you smiled? Or made a silly little joke like my friend Dorothy Butterfield always did?

Dorothy didn’t just lighten the room—she lifted hearts. She chose to be happy, and in doing so, she changed lives, one giggle at a time.

📝 Why I Write (With a Little Help)

I’ll never be a Dorothy—outgoing and bursting with charm—but I’ve found my own way to bring people joy.

I write.

Whether I go by Wanda, Sweet, Chappell, or Plum (depending on the season of life), writing is how I connect. It’s how I share what’s swirling around in my heart.

I’ve got so many stories to tell—stories from the road I’ve traveled and the people I’ve met along the way. It takes time to write them all down. Lucky for me, I’ve got my trusty sidekick Scribbles to help polish them up.

Right now, I’ve got around 20 faithful readers. If we were all sitting in one room, most wouldn’t know each other—but they’d all know me. And that’s who I write for.

💌 So Who Do You Know?

If something I wrote made you smile or think of someone in your own life, send them my way. I can’t promise I’ll write about their Uncle Joe or Grandma Nellie, but maybe—just maybe—one of my stories will sound a little like theirs.

And hey—if you’ve been reading along and haven’t seen anyone familiar yet, be patient and keep checking back in. Sooner or later, I’m bound to get to someone who reminds you of a cousin, a neighbor, or that wild aunt who always brought the Jell-O salad to family dinners.

Or better yet—ask me to write about them.
I’m always on the lookout for new stories to tell, and you just might help me uncover the next one.

☁️ Wanda-ism:

"Turns out, you don’t have to touch a hand to touch a heart."