From Circle Time to Compromise
Sharing is an early life skill that is essential for building cooperation, developing empathy, and engaging in healthy social interactions. Remember circle time?
Please and Thank You
Lately, I have been concerned about the lack of manners in our society. I’m not sure whether it’s generational or a broader lack of common courtesy. It’s not just the absence of a “please” and “thank you”; it’s more than that.
Confidence Is Not Built In
Confidence can be defined as the belief in our ability to succeed in a specific situation or accomplish certain tasks. It’s something you just know is there, and that’s enough. I never had it as a child. Lucky for me, I met someone who did!
The Times They Are A-Changin’
In the early sixties, Bob Dylan sang, ‘The Times They Are A-Changin’, and he wasn’t kidding. Sixty years later, the world is transformed in ways I could never have imagined.
AI, Friend or Foe?
Is AI a friend or foe? I’m guessing the answer teeters depending on whom you ask.
Are You a Creature of Habit?
When I retired, I thought, Yippee! I don’t have to set my alarm every day, rush through breakfast, and apply my makeup in the car at red lights while heading off to work. And yet, my life still has a pattern, a routine, an unexpected cadence that I hadn’t noticed before.
Geezers on Wheels
My husband recently retired. On the first day of his retirement, we celebrated with a fancy dinner out. But on the second day, he wanted something a little more active.
The Caitlin Clark Effect
Although I have always been a casual basketball fan, all that changed in the spring of 2023, the year Caitlin Clark, the phenom from Iowa led her team to the Women’s NCAA Finals.
Occam’s Razor
I love the challenge of examining the details, delving into the clues, and taking in the whole picture before coming up with that eureka moment. Which brings me to Occam’s razor.
The Show Ups
People often ask, "What holds your family together when so many others drift apart?"
That Age-Old Feeling
Occasionally, I have witnessed younger people poking fun at a parent or older person because they did not know about something that was apparent to them. The comments were likely meant to be funny, not malicious, but I wondered if the recipient felt hurt or embarrassed.
What’s For Dinner?
"The biggest challenge is, for me, figuring out what to cook for dinner. Nightly, you know, just night after night. What is it gonna be tonight? ... I did that last night. That's the hardest thing right there.” Aretha Franklin
That Gut Feeling
Have you ever sensed that something just wasn’t right with a tightness in your chest?
Old-Fashioned Letters
Do you still write letters? Fold them neatly into an envelope, put a stamp in the corner, address, and mail?
The Bees Knees
Do your knees make noises when going up steps? Do you devise a game plan for sitting down? Does it take a village to hoist you up from a chair? If so, you may need a new knee.
The Beauty Project
I’m not talking about Grace Kelly beauty or about getting a hair and make-up makeover, but a very different kind of beauty. Life isn’t always pretty. Every day we are bombarded with images that are dark, depressing, bleak and ugly. It seems that ugliness is slowly taking over our lives. So, years ago, my sister and I decided to take a photo of just anything we found particularly beautiful during our hectic day, and then text each other our ‘beauty’ photo at the end of the day.
My Dad’s Slippers
After Dad died, my mom felt it was important to give each of her ten children a little something that belonged to him. My parents spent their lives raising children, working hard, and enjoying grandchildren and retirement.
I Only Know
Don’t mistake the beginning for the end,
the guardian for your keeper,
or the apogee for the soothing beauty of the trek.