loving art, science and creative kids
7/31/2026 11:11:20 PM
OPUS 4
Small Things, Big Impact
We often think our lives are changed by major events—a graduation, a wedding, the birth of a child, the loss of someone we love. Yet when I look back, it isn't the dramatic milestones that shaped me most. It is the small moments, almost invisible at the time, that quietly redirected my life.
I remember when my one-year-old son finally learned how to navigate the six carpeted steps leading to our living room. Instead of tumbling down headfirst, he discovered that if he turned around and backed down, he could descend safely. It may have been only six stairs, but to him it was a monumental achievement. He climbed up and down them more than two dozen times before we finally pulled him away.
To an adult, mastering six steps hardly seems noteworthy. To my son, those stairs represented freedom. Suddenly, a whole new part of the house belonged to him. For me, it meant keeping a much closer eye on an adventurous toddler. Looking back, I realize those six little steps also taught me something: life's biggest transformations often begin with the smallest victories.
Many of my own turning points began just as quietly. I first became aware of prejudice while planning my eleventh birthday party. My mother told me I could invite every girl in my sixth-grade class except one—I'll call her Janine. She was the only Black girl in our predominantly white suburban classroom. Janine and I were playground friends, and I wanted her to celebrate with us.
My mother explained that Janine's birthday fell on the same day as mine, so she was probably having her own party. Even at eleven, I sensed that wasn't the real reason. I remember feeling confused, disappointed, and deeply uncomfortable. I had imagined a birthday cake with both our names on it. Instead, that simple conversation became one of the clearest memories of my childhood.
It also became one of the most influential. That brief exchange awakened a lifelong sensitivity to racism and bigotry. I worried that Janine might feel rejected. Perhaps she did. We remained playground friends, but she never visited my home.
Years later, while I was in college, I encountered a quotation by Anatole France that quietly changed me once again: "Even a little dog is the center of his own universe." Those few words transformed the way I viewed other people. I began to understand that every person experiences life through a unique collection of memories, joys, disappointments, and struggles. Just as no two fingerprints are identical, no two people interpret the world in exactly the same way. Over time, those countless experiences shape our personalities, our beliefs, and our values. That simple quotation made me slower to judge and more curious to understand.
My life also changed through the gentle influence of the people closest to me. Before the women's movement became part of everyday conversation, many girls grew up expecting to marry, raise children, and build a home. That was my dream as well. I planned to be the best wife and mother I could be, leaving the wider world largely to my husband.
Instead, my husbands gradually expanded my world. They introduced me to science, the arts, and travel. They encouraged my curiosity and supported me as I developed a career of my own. More importantly, they demonstrated the value of embracing the unknown instead of fearing it. None of those lessons arrived with fanfare. They came through countless conversations, shared experiences, and quiet encouragement. Looking back, I can see how those small influences accumulated until I became a stronger, more independent woman.
After two twenty-year marriages to wonderful men ended, I wondered whether I could continue growing on my own. I had learned from them how to live fully, but now I had to prove it to myself.
Traveling alone, driving long distances, striking up conversations with strangers, speaking honestly, and standing up for causes I believed in did not come naturally. Each challenge seemed small by itself, but together they slowly built confidence. Growth, I discovered, isn't usually one giant leap. More often, it is a series of tiny acts of courage.
For the past thirty years, I have shared my life with someone whose interests differ from mine in many ways. Yet he, too, has quietly changed me. His love of the natural world deepened my own appreciation for forests, wildlife, and wild places—an influence that now finds its way into the novels I write.
When I look back over my life, I don't see a handful of dramatic turning points. I see hundreds of seemingly ordinary moments: a toddler mastering six stairs, an uncomfortable conversation with my mother, a quotation in a college classroom, words of encouragement from those I loved, small risks that gradually became larger ones. Individually, none of them seemed life-changing. Together, they became the stepping stones that led me to the person I am today.
Perhaps the same is true for you. Take a few minutes to look back over your own life. What small conversation, chance meeting, book, teacher, disappointment, or act of kindness quietly changed your direction? We often overlook these moments because they seem so ordinary. But when we connect them, we begin to see that our lives are shaped less by life's grand events than by the countless small experiences that, little by little, become who we are.
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Today, the second book in The Rightfully Mine Series, Antheia in the Thorns, is a Manhattan Gold Award winner. It follows The Water Factor, an International Firefly Award winner. My thanks to the people who shaped my life and made me stronger.
Books can be purchased by clicking AMAZON.
7/24/2026 3:00:01 PM
MANHATTAN BOOK GROUP ANNOUNCES A GOLD WIN IN THE 2026 MANHATTAN BOOK AWARDS FOR
"ANTHEIA IN THE THORNS"
I’m taking a week out in my blog series to toot my own horn. I was proud to receive such a prestigious acknowledgment for “Antheia in the Thorns,” and am pleased to share their press release.
Manhattan Book Group Announces Gold Win for “Antheia in the Thorns” in the 2026 Manhattan Book Awards.
Manhattan Book Group proudly announces that “Antheia in the Thorns: A Rightfully Mine Novel“ by Marilynne Eichinger has been awarded Gold in the 2027 Manhattan Book Awards. The honor recognizes exceptional storytelling, originality, and imaginative scope in contemporary publishing.
The Manhattan Book Awards is a year-round literary recognition program honoring outstanding books from independent and hybrid publishers worldwide. Titles are judged by an industry-experienced panel and evaluated on criteria including narrative strength, originality, production quality, and overall impact. Gold honors are reserved for books that exemplify excellence with their genre and demonstrate exceptional craft.
After serving as president of Impression 5 Science Center in Lansing, Michigan, and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, Marilynne Eichinger founded the Museum Tour Catalog, bringing science kits and educational materials into homes across the country. Her lifelong commitment to science education and environmental stewardship inspired the Rightfully Mine series, a collection of environmental thrillers exploring some of the most pressing challenges facing our planet. Today, Eichinger is a sought-after public speaker and an active member of the Community for Earth Committee in Portland.
Drawing on decades of work in science education and conservation, Eichinger combines meticulously researched environmental issues with fast-paced, character-driven suspense. Antheia in the Thorns is the second novel in the Rightfully Mine series. Its predecessor, The Water Factor, explores the corporate takeover of water resources. Readers can look forward to the third installment, Kingdom of Greed, scheduled for release early next year, which examines the consequences of sacrificing America's old-growth forests to corporate greed.
To celebrate this Gold award, the Kindle edition of Antheia in the Thorns is available on Amazon for a special promotional price of $3.99 (regularly $6.95). The novel is also available in paperback, hardcover, and audiobook editions.
About the Book:
A grieving mother. A poisoned wilderness. A billion-dollar secret.
In the remote wilderness of Oregon, archeologist Jennifer Russo makes two discoveries that change her life forever: and ancient cave filled with prehistoric remains, and a nearby pond clocked with toxic yellow vapors. When a man posing as a sheriff warns her to stay silent, Jn realizes she has uncovered something powerful that people will kill to protect.
Still shattered by the death of her infant daughter, Jen returns home hoping for comfort. Instead, she find betrayal. Her husband, an environmental attorney, is working for oil tycoon Abdul Hammed Dillinger, whose refinery produces petcock, a toxic byproduct poisoning land, air, and oceans worldwide.
When clean air, water, and truth become matters of survival, she joins Antheia, a network of young activists led by Brian Adakai. Together, they uncover illegal dumping, corporate corruption, and a conspiracy stretching across continents. Their searh leads. To murder, kidnapping, and a final confrontation aboard Dillinger’s cargo ship where the fate of a whistleblower, and of the truth itself, hangs in the balance.
From the emotional depth of “Where the Crawdads Sing” to the urgency of “Erin Brokovich,””Antheia in the thorns” is a gripping environmental thriller about grief, courage, and the cost of speaking out.
“A fiction-filled, well-plotted yarn of industry vs. nature. The narrative sets up a delightfully conflict-heavy premise: How can Jen fight for the natural world while her husband works for someone who actively seeks to destroy it? Readers will be sufficiently engaged by the central conflict to stick around to see how the (petcock ) dust settles.” —Kurus Reviews.
Anthea in the Thorns is the second book in the Rightfully Mine series. Books can be purchased by clicking AMAZON.
7/17/2026 11:43:02 PM
Kingdom of Greed the third book in the Rightfully Mine Environmental series is due out early next year. It gives a small glimpse into the way corporate America disregards the will of the people The novel is inspired by how the Trump administration is shrinking the size of our nation’s forests and parks and selling off its resources. Unfortunately, with so many critical social justice issues affecting citizens, people have not been paying attention to the impact resource extraction on public lands will have on the earth.
I am alarmed by a recent U.S. Forest Service proposed rule change that will narrow the public’s opportunity to comment on its programs and activities. The rule would eliminate any requirement for public notice, hearings, or comments that would uphold regulation. The administration appears to care more about deregulation that benefits extractors and real estate developers than the public good..Old growth and even young saplings that help keep the planet cool and pollution-free will give way to high-rises and paved parking lots. How can we allow this?
I ask myself, who benefits when communities are cut out of decisions regarding access, logging, timber sales, grazing permits, and mining exploration? Why should agency offices be allowed to bypass established ecological safeguards and environmental review frameworks? Why should internal rules get easier to waive, revise and even remove from public view?
These changes will help a very few companies, none of which have your best interests at heart. Before it is too late—act now. To understand the full extent of what is happening go to https://morethanjustparks.substack.com/p/forest-service-to-remove-your-voice
Like the characters in my eco-thrillers would say, “Act Now.” Go to the Public Comment section at the following website. Write to officials to oppose the rule change. https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/01/2026-13281/organization-functio ns-and-procedures-public-notice-and-comment-for-standards-criteria-and-guidance
Do not just sign a petition! Remember that your personal comments in the scoping process can be used for later judicial review.
A last request for those of you who enjoy a good novel. I am looking for a handful of beta readers to for Kingdom of Greed. Rather than editing, I want to know if the story holds your interest and what you think of the characters. If interested, please contact me at [email protected]
Art is always for sale. Twenty-eight canvas prints of trees can be purchased on line for only $99 . Go to
https://www.eichingerfineart.com/collections/182747
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The Rightfully Mine Series makes summer reading exciting
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Purchase Antheia in the Thorns on Amazon
Purchase The Water Factor on Amazon
7/11/2026 1:55:24 PM
THE BLAME GAME - - Readying for a fight
THE BLAME GAME
After writing my last newsletter about overcoming adversity, I found myself thinking about William Ernest Henley's poem Invictus. Its closing lines have stayed with me for years:
"I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul."
Those words remind us of a difficult but liberating truth. We cannot always control what happens to us, but we can choose how we respond. That is why I struggle when I hear someone say they drink, use drugs, or gamble because another person stresses them so much that they "can't help themselves." Stress is real. Heartbreak is real. Trauma is real. But none of these removes our responsibility for the choices we make. There are healthier ways to cope than self-medicating.
Guilt and shame often drive people to justify destructive behavior. Rather than facing painful truths, they search for someone or something else to blame. During my years of counseling people struggling with addiction, I found that many became remarkably skilled at explaining why everyone else was responsible for their actions. What surprised me most was that many hated the loss of control. They were embarrassed by what they had done while intoxicated and often shocked when family or friends described their behavior. Yet that very lack of awareness became another excuse to avoid taking ownership.
I remember treating a twenty-one-year-old man who insisted he didn't have a drinking problem. Although he agreed to enter a rehabilitation program, he believed none of what he learned applied to him. Two years later he called me at home. Through tears he told me he had caused a car accident that killed two young women. Yet he still insisted it wasn't his fault. He explained that he had attended a séance where a medium claimed to contact the two women. According to her, they had forgiven him and wanted him to know he bore no responsibility.
My heart broke for everyone involved. Whether the story was true or not wasn't the point. Forgiveness, if it exists, never erases responsibility. Until he accepted ownership of his actions, he had little hope of changing his life.
Blame is one of the mind's most powerful defense mechanisms. It protects us from painful truths by convincing us that someone else is responsible. If someone else caused the problem, then someone else must solve it. As long as that belief remains, there is little motivation to change.
Alcohol and drugs are not the only addictions that destroy lives. Gambling, compulsive gaming, pornography, and even work can become unhealthy obsessions when they consume relationships, finances, and personal responsibility. The object of the addiction changes, but the pattern of denial often remains the same.
The workaholic who blames the demands of the job for neglecting a spouse or children is no different from the gambler who promises that one more bet will solve the family's financial problems. Both sacrifice the people they love while convincing themselves they have no other choice.
Science helps explain why addiction is so difficult to overcome. Repeated substance use or compulsive behavior changes the brain's reward system. Activities that once brought joy—time with family, friendships, meaningful work, exercise, or serving others—begin to lose their appeal. Cravings grow stronger while judgment and self-control weaken. People continue using despite devastating consequences.
Understanding these changes helps explain addiction, but it does not excuse it. Recovery begins when a person stops blaming others and accepts responsibility for the next decision. That decision may be frightening, but it is also the beginning of freedom.
Family members often become victims as well. They walk on eggshells, wondering which version of their loved one will appear today. The addict may be kind and attentive when seeking money, forgiveness, or another chance, then become angry, manipulative, or abusive when confronted. Conversations become battles. Truth becomes distorted. Eventually family members begin questioning their own judgment.
Healthy boundaries are essential. You can love someone without accepting abuse. You can care deeply while refusing to carry responsibility for choices that are not yours. Though stress is real, it never excuses irresponsible behavior. The blame belongs to the person making the choice, not to those living with the consequences.
The encouraging news is that recovery is possible. Every day people reclaim their lives by facing the truth instead of running from it. The first step is not perfection; it is the courage to stop making excuses and begin taking responsibility.
Henley wrote Invictus while enduring tremendous suffering. His poem is not about denying pain but about refusing to surrender to it. None of us chooses every hardship we face. Some burdens are unfair. Some wounds are deep. Yet we still choose whether we will become bitter or better, whether we will blame or grow.
In the end, we may not be masters of our circumstances, but we remain responsible for our choices. That is what it means to be the master of our fate and the captain of our soul.
Invictus By William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
References:
Website. (2026) Why do Alcoholics Blame Others. The Discovery Village. Retrieved from https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/alcohol-abuse/why-alcoholics-blame-others/
Website (2026) Common Ways People with Addiction Manipulate Others. Gatewayy Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.gatewayfoundation.org/blog/common-ways-addiction-manipulates/
Art is always for sale on my website. First Fight can be found at https://www.eichingerfineart.com/workszoom/1356530/first-fight#/
Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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Jennifer Russo and her husband's poor communication skills cause their problems to spiral out of control in Antheia in the Thorns. After the death of her infant daughter, Jennifer retreats from the world, consumed by grief. Only through time, support, and a renewed sense of purpose does she find her way back. Her healing becomes the source of her courage, proving that those who have suffered deeply are sometimes the very people best equipped to stand up for others. For thrillers about social justice and the environment, turn to the Rightfully Mine series. Eichinger books are available on AMAZON.
7/2/2026 6:52:59 PM
I THOUGHT I KNEW YOU
As circumstances change, we change with them to become part of our life story.
Facing Adversity Head On
None of us knows what crisis lies ahead. A serious illness, the loss of someone we love, a natural disaster, financial hardship, or a betrayal can change our lives in an instant. While we cannot predict adversity, we are all born with an extraordinary ability to recover from it.
That doesn't mean the journey is easy. Painful experiences can leave us feeling overwhelmed and uncertain that life will ever be normal again. Yet resilience—the ability to adapt and move forward—is one of humanity's greatest strengths. It grows through experience, hope, and the support of others. Friends, family, and caring communities cannot erase our pain, but they can help carry us through it.
One remarkable example is Dr. Denis Charney, dean of New York's Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. After stopping for a bagel and coffee one morning, he was shot fifteen times in a murder attempt. Surviving the attack forced him to confront the very question he had spent years studying: How does a person recover from overwhelming trauma?
His research, along with that of many others, shows that traumatic events—assaults, accidents, betrayals, disasters, and the death of a loved one—can disrupt the brain's normal functioning. Neural connections involved in emotional regulation are affected, making it difficult to think clearly, remain calm, or feel safe. Brain scans reveal that adversity can send our internal alarm system into overdrive, leaving us anxious, hyper-vigilant, and emotionally exhausted.
Even if your own mistakes have brought about your suffering, guilt does not have to be the final chapter of your life; accepting the consequences, seeking forgiveness, and working to make things right are acts of courage that can begin the journey toward healing. If you believe you've ruined your life or your family's future, remember this: your loved ones need your presence, your honesty, and your willingness to rebuild far more than they need your perfection.
Recovery does not mean returning to the person you once were. Instead, it means creating a new equilibrium. Life may never look exactly the same, but it can still become meaningful, joyful, and fulfilling. Reaching that new place requires patience, courage, and the willingness to believe that healing is possible.
Psychologist Hara Estroff Marano offers nine practical strategies for building resilience.
Find inspiration. Look for someone who has walked a similar path. Whether that person is living, a historical figure, or someone whose story you've read, their experience reminds us that others have survived what once seemed impossible. Their example can help light the way forward.
Seek—and give—social support. Over the past month I've written about the importance of friendship because human beings are designed for connection. Without meaningful relationships, both our physical and mental health suffer. Scientists have found that supportive relationships trigger the release of oxytocin, a hormone that helps calm the nervous system and reduces stress. Accepting help from others—and offering it in return—strengthens everyone involved.
Face your fears. Fear grows when we avoid what frightens us. Avoidance gives anxiety room to expand until it begins controlling our lives. Confronting problems, one manageable step at a time, allows fear to lose its grip. Deep breathing, gradual exposure, counseling, and other proven therapies have helped countless people regain confidence after trauma.
Challenge yourself. Choose something that stretches you without overwhelming you. Learning a new skill, volunteering, or accomplishing a meaningful goal reminds you that you are capable of growth. Success, even in small ways, builds confidence and quiets the brain's stress response.
Let go of the need to appear strong. One of the greatest myths is that resilient people never struggle. In reality, resilience begins by admitting when we're hurting. Give yourself permission to grieve. Spend time in nature. Meditate. Eat nourishing food. Build new friendships. Rest when you need to. Healing is not weakness; it is wisdom.
Exercise regularly. Physical activity benefits both body and mind. Exercise strengthens regions of the brain involved in learning, memory, and emotional regulation while reducing stress hormones. Walk, swim, dance, ride a bicycle—whatever brings you joy and keeps you moving.
Find meaning. This is perhaps the most important lesson I've learned as a lay minister. I've met many people who seemed to lose their desire to live because they no longer knew why they were living. Purpose gives direction to our lives. It changes over time. As young adults we may pursue an education or career. Later our purpose may become raising a family, serving others, or leaving the world a little better than we found it. During times of adversity, rediscovering purpose often becomes the turning point between merely surviving and truly living.
Reframe your thoughts. Years ago, I had a client who wore a rubber band around his wrist. Whenever he caught himself dwelling on negative thoughts, he snapped the band to remind himself to change his perspective. Psychologists call this cognitive reframing. Looking for lessons hidden within hardship—or even finding moments of humor—doesn't deny pain. It helps us see beyond it.
Take care of your gut. Scientists continue to discover the remarkable connection between the digestive system and the brain. The bacteria living in our intestines produce chemicals that influence mood, emotional regulation, and even resilience. A healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole foods supports both physical and mental health. Sometimes resilience begins with the simple choices we make every day.
None of these strategies removes adversity from our lives. Loss still hurts. Grief still takes time. Some wounds never disappear completely. Yet countless people have discovered that hardship does not have to define them.
There is an old Japanese art called kintsugi, in which broken pottery is repaired with gold. Rather than hiding the cracks, the artist highlights them, transforming something broken into something even more beautiful than before. Human lives can be much the same. The scars we carry remind us not only of what we've endured, but also of the strength we discovered along the way.
When adversity comes—and sooner or later it comes to all of us—don't lose hope. No disaster or mistake is so great that it erases your worth as a human being. While you cannot change yesterday, you can choose the person you will become tomorrow. Lean on those who care about you. Take one step at a time. Believe that healing is possible. You may never be the person you once were, but with perseverance, compassion, and purpose, you can become someone even stronger.
References:
Marano, E. (2024) 9 Ways to Overcome Adversity. Psychology today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/articles/202411/9-ways-to-overcome-adversity
Davis, P. (2021) How to Stay Mentally Strong When Dealing With An Unexpected Adversity. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/pauladavis/2021/01/19/how-to-stay-mentally-strong-when-dealing-with-an-unexpected-adversity/
Please share your thoughts on my blog site in the comment section at the end of this article.
Art is always for sale through my website. I Thought I Knew You is a multi-media painting on canvas. For information go to https://www.eichingerfineart.com/workszoom/1353668/i-thought-i-knew-you#/
Questions ? Contact me at [email protected]
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