Mom got the first inkling of Parkinson’s when she fell into the flower garden for no reason back in the summer of 2003. It turned out there was a reason but the knowing of reason took a long time — well over a decade — […]
All posts filed under: Life
Let them
What would happen if you let the pause be uncomfortable? Let your child be who they are? Let the sickness run its course? Let your advice go untaken? Let your parents be disappointed in your decision? Let yourself compare unfavorably? Let the person in the […]
How to Connect with People Better
The holiday season is upon us, meaning chances are good you may have more family and social get-togethers coming up. But whether you dread holiday parties and figuring out what to chat about with everyone from young to old, left or right, happy or sad, […]
Traveling at the Speed of Light
I didn’t know if we could jam 10 helium balloons into my little Mazda but we did, along with all the other makings of an 86th birthday celebration for my mother. We drove up to the entrance of the Inn where my mother had a […]
The Good Paradox
As the official gratitude holiday, Thanksgiving comes with some hefty expectations for feeling grateful, mightily so. It’s a good thing to do — good for the head, good for the heart and for the good of all, which science has proven beyond doubt. But there […]
The Solution for the Bottomless To-Do List
Oliver Burkeman poses an uncomfortable question in Meditations for Mortals: what if you never get on top of your to-do list? What’s more, what if you never become the good listener or the dedicated runner or achieve a Zero Inbox like a worthy person would? […]
On Your Terms
I know of a very young child for whom normal growth and developmental charts are no longer a meaningful measure. With this new understanding, her family has been told that from here on out, this little person is to be taken on her terms. I […]
Improv
I couldn’t believe it! [Curse word.] I was already tired and having a hard time getting the mojo to go after the high intensity workout I wanted my body to do [without my conscious awareness] and now the blasted DVD sound wasn’t coming out of […]
House: A Framework for Holding it Together
Every morning, we wake up and set about our day. In the hours to come we will experience a continuous stream of pressures testing our in-the-moment soundness of mind and body. For example: Minimal pressure: You’re walking down the street and come to a crosswalk. […]
Little Luxuries
When you think of luxury, what does that word bring to mind for you? It instantly gets me thinking about 2,000 thread count sheets and a mattress that feels like sleeping on a cloud. The time and ease of mind to luxuriate in them. Food […]
Holding Your Seat
I hear shouting coming from inside the courtroom then a girl bangs through the doors with the bailiff striding after her. She’s furious. “I told him I didn’t know my phone was on, but he wouldn’t listen!” I’m sitting on a bench outside the courtroom […]
Making Room for the Unwanted
Some new neighbors moved into the neighborhood a few weeks ago. They are loud. They disturb the peace. They set off firecrackers. Illegally. I regarded this as a big problem. I wanted the old neighbors back, the formerly invisible ones. These new ones need to […]
Be cool. 