ALL THERE IS

As we commemorate and remember all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice on this Memorial Day, let's also consider those outside our country who are so desperate for Freedom, they too are willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice for them and their families. As Americans, we have the ultimate privilege of not experiencing the same desperation for freedom as some from other countries. But freedom is freedom. Could I convince you to listen all the way to the end and take a moment to consider these questions? Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

Mother's Day is one of those days filled with power and the potential for joy and celebration as well as pain, sadness, regret and longing.  As women, we are all somewhere on the motherhood spectrum...we have mothers, some of us are biological, step or god mothers to children, some of us care for and nurture four-legged fur balls, and some of us nurture and mother our friends or co-workers.I don't know much or even close to everything I should, but I do know this: your motherhood status, whatever it may be or whatever state it is in, is NOT the only thing that defines you. You, Me, We, are so much more than that!So,  regardless of the choices we've made or where we're at in our journey, let's take this Mother's Day to support, encourage and be kind to each other. Happy Mother's Day.Season 1 episode 22 also has another take on Mother's Day. Take a listen if you missed it.Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

As we age, we tend to focus on how our body and appearance is changing with a negative perspective, forgetting all that our bodies have done for us throughout our lives. What if we could change that narrative and remember all the work, all the pleasures, all that we have survived? What if we could realize that no matter what we look like on the outside, the same spirit that got us this far, is still there? In this episode I talk to my mom who is turning 80 on May 7th and have her read one of my essays, When I Look in the Mirror at 80. She is cool, calm and collected as she approaches another year of life. I hope she inspires you as she has me all these years. Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

One of the major themes of Chasing the Merry-Go-Round was the idea of home and Bobby's lifelong dream to own his own place. Unfortunately, for so many years, we all thought it was going to be out of reach for him. Until now. Sometimes things happen that you never saw coming and it creates opportunity and answers that you asked for so long ago you forgot you ever asked.  When I first published this story, Bobby asked me to buy him his own house if and when the book "went platinum." Of course, I always agreed that yes, we'd get him his own house if that ever happened. Well...book sales are a difficult thing and alas this little story never "went platinum." But that's okay...I know the people who need the story and the lessons in it will find it, and Bobby found his home another way.Never give up.Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

Revolution is a short story based on the longer work, Flower Power.  Flower Power is a one-act  social commentary that explores greed and our lust for money, versus our right to live. Follow the main character, Charlie Miller, as she is forced to choose between her career and the parents who've been there for every moment of her life. https://www.sandiego.gov/decameronVisit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

Inspired by the Scottish proverb and nursery rhyme, “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride,” If Wishes Were Eagles is a daydream brought to life with lyrical and vivid words. My intention is for it to be a picture book illustrated by the one and only Craig Anderson, artist and husband of mine. If Wishes Were Eagles is filled with timeless messages and lessons of hope and possibility. The reader/listener enters a wondrous world full of beauty, marvel and mysteries, and learns that when you’re in trouble, you fly high, and when you’re lonely, you reach out, when you’re sad, you look for splendor in nature around you. Finally, the ones you call family are your haven of rest, and love is what holds us together until the end. This is a wise, wistful tale and you can’t help but smile when you hear it.  Let me know what you think!Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

Maybe it’s because I was born in the summer of love, 1967, but I’ve always envied hippies and sometimes wondered if it was too late to become a Hippie? I think what I was really asking was, can I become a person who is free-spirited and unencumbered by what others think or societal norms and expectations?I recently saw the new movie, Jesus Revolution,  which not only brought up my fascination with Hippies, but also reminded me of the time when the Jesus Revolution saved my family.To me it makes perfect sense that these two cultures collided in such a powerful way. Hippies were searching for truth, love, peace where all are welcome as they are. Jesus offered all of those things, and still does.Tune in, drop out and see if there's anything that resonates with you.Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

Breathing is something that most of us take for granted on a daily basis as our body automatically does what it was designed to do. However, for babies and children with chILD, the  struggle to breathe can require so much physical exertion that they often fail to thrive without medical interventions.  Tune in to hear this mother's journey and how she fights every day to give her children the opportunity to live their best lives through medical interventions, community, finding joy in the little things and protecting her kid's feelings, hope & dreams along the way. "When you see the tubes, look past them. Smile and say hello." Children’s Interstitial and Diffuse Lung Disease (chILD) is not a single disease. Instead, it is a group of rare lung diseases found in infants, children, and adolescents. There are different types of chILD that vary in their severity and in their long-term outcomes. In simplest terms, all types of chILD decrease a child’s ability to supply oxygen to their body. Early diagnosis and treatment is important for any form of chILD. If you suspect your child has chILD, consult a pediatric pulmonologist with expertise in chILD. www.child-foundation.orgVisit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

Life changes in a moment. A match is lit and tossed, falling just right on the combustible rubble we ignored. And as it burns, everything we thought we knew, counted on, waited for, believed in—shifts. Just enough to let us know we knew nothing. Tune in to share this human experienceVisit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

Successful career woman by day, more Bridget Jones at night, Kelly is determined to carry on as if nothing has changed when everything has. After her husband of almost twenty years walks out of their home leaving behind his slippers, toothbrush and a closet full of clothes, Kelly navigates her out-of-the-ordinary stages of grief using a new mantra along with, beer & nachos, crown royal & Mad Men, red wine & rom-com movies, as she confronts her new reality and the closet/life her husband left behind.Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

Valentine's Day is looming along with all the pressure we put on the day, our loved ones and ourselves. But what if, instead of waiting, wishing, hoping for someone else to love us like we long for, what if we could be the love of our own life?Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

The quest for Peace in all (most) of us drives so much of our behavior, whether we realize it or not. What is peace? What does it look and feel like? More importantly, how do we get it? In this episode you'll find the three things you need in order to get that Peace.Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

In this episode we discuss finding that state of harmony and peace within ourselves through feeding our Spirit, nourishing our Body and tending our Soul.Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

Let's talk about GARBAGE!  Generating waste is part of the human condition. It is unavoidable. But how long we hold onto it is up to us. Keep your waste container small and empty it often. That's where the magic is.  A life-changing truth to embrace as we face another new year.Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

Do you like to say Merry Christmas? or Happy Holidays? Holiday greetings have become controversial and polarizing and I get it...but perhaps we're just struggling to find the right way to express all the extra feelings we experience during the holiday season. Listen in to this brief episode to explore with me. Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

In this episode, Kelly and her artist husband Craig, launch their collection or original artwork paired with stories that were designed to raise awareness, inspire empathy, provoke action and most importantly give a voice to the homeless in America. The episode was recorded in video format and is available on YouTube. See this link:https://youtu.be/99a4xhfFQyMAll original artwork and prints are available at www.craigandersonfineart.com.The collection of artwork and stories is available for $25 on Amazon and at this link:https://www.amazon.com/ALL-THERE-Homelessness-America-Scene/dp/0999423460/ref=sr_1_3?crid=BR4K4IJTY3HW&keywords=all+there+is&qid=1669663815&sprefix=all+there+i%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-3Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

In this episode I share a hermit crab essay that was inspired by a real event when a man was found dead outside my home on a cold winter night. The story of his death was never told and I never found out his name. As we take this month of November to build awareness about the homelessness crisis in America, we can pause and remember all the people who have died on the streets and we never knew their name. Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

When was the last time I went a day without food? What must it be like to not know where your next meal would come from? To not know the next time you would be full? What is it like to know hunger? My personal experience inspired me to volunteer at our city's Rescue Mission and serve Sunday lunch to hungry people. This personal essay was originally published on www.merliterary.com in April 2020. November is Homelessness Awareness Month. On any given night in America, more than 500,000 people are experiencing homelessness. 70% are individuals living on their own or in the company of other homeless adults. 30% are families with children. The great majority of homeless are men or youth boys, and almost half of the population is unsheltered and living in situations not fit for human beings. (“State of Homelessness Report 2021.” www.endhomelessness.org)Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

Life moves fast. Too fast for some. November is Homelessness Awareness Month. On any given night in America, more than 500,000 people are experiencing homelessness. 70% are individuals living on their own or in the company of other homeless adults. 30% are families with children. The great majority of homeless are men or youth boys, and almost half of the population is unsheltered and living in situations not fit for human beings. (“State of Homelessness Report 2021.” www.endhomelessness.org)The thing is, we know there is no silver bullet, no single answer or even two or three things that will solve the problem of homelessness. The causes are many and complicated, multiple and complex, and range from mental illness to addiction, from disabilities to lack of affordable housing, from a history of racial injustice to the system itself.For my brother it was a story of what it was like to keep up in a world that moved too fast.Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.

November is Homelessness Awareness Month.  On any given night in America, more than 500,000 people are experiencing homelessness. 70% are individuals living on their own or in the company of other homeless adults. 30% are families with children. The great majority of homeless are men or youth boys, and almost half of the population is unsheltered and living in situations not fit for human beings. (“State of Homelessness Report 2021.” www.endhomelessness.org)In this episode I share my personal experience with homelessness when my brother ran away from home and lived on the streets for five years. Visit www.kellybargabos.com to listen to all past episodes and/or connect with Kelly.