01Dec

Crafting Gratitude — The Practical Side

Thanksgiving has just passed, and now I am counting the days until Christmas. I love Christmas, because I love giving (and getting) gifts. I love lit trees, delicious treats, and family traditions that have been celebrated and passed down for thirty plus years. And, yet, as I am getting older, I have come to love Thanksgiving […]

21Nov

The Death of Should

“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.” ― Rabindranath Tagore If there’s one thing I know for sure “should” shouldn’t exist. It is a word and a concept that causes so much frustration, grief, anxiety, envy, depression, resentment and rage that I’d like to see […]

21Nov

The Death of Should

“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.” ― Rabindranath Tagore If there’s one thing I know for sure “should” shouldn’t exist. It is a word and a concept that causes so much frustration, grief, anxiety, envy, depression, resentment and rage that I’d like to see […]

06Nov

Care for the Caregiver — The Personal Side

For the personal piece on caregiving, I wanted to share some advice from a dear friend. My friend of many years—let’s call her Lily—is caregiver to a young son who is currently struggling with two different types of mental illness.

01Nov

Care for the Caregiver — The Practical Side

Do you live with someone struggling with a mental illness? Are you a caregiver for an aging parent or seriously ill spouse? Do you have an active relationship with a close friend battling depression? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you are caring for someone with special needs and are a “caregiver,” […]

07Oct

Domestic Violence (DV) — The Personal Side

When I was in high school, one of my friends (let’s call her Laura) dated a guy who often abused her both physically and emotionally. She was tragically affected by domestic violence, but at the time I had no idea. All I knew was that her boyfriend (let’s call him Rob) did not seem very […]

01Oct

Domestic Violence (DV) — The Practical Side

Whether you watch football or just follow the news, you may by now have heard that the NFL has put new policy in place to crack down on players who commit acts of domestic violence. This policy comes on the heels of a domestic violence case involving Ravens running back Ray Rice. Rice has been […]

08Sep

Finding Hope in the Waiting Room of Life — The Personal Side

“Everyone needs something to look forward to.” This is a quote from a man personally known to me.  He said many wise things during his 95 years on the planet, but this is one of my favorites. To me, it echoes the proverb I quoted in the practical blog on this subject—“People die for lack […]