Author, Writer, Editor
Most of us have heard it all of our lives, from parents, grandparents, teachers, or our religious leaders: Count Your Blessings. Even our best friends will sometimes nag us about it, making us either snarl or bite our tongues to keep from snarling. We wish we had the strength to … Read more…
We’re again headed into a Thanksgiving season I wasn’t sure we’d see, not after living through ten years of a spiraling descent into chaos around us. Most of us are sickened by the discord in this country that is caused by foreign interference, exacerbated by all so-called national leaders involved … Read more…
I consider myself fortunate in thousands of ways. When we truly think about what we have, as well as what we don’t have to deal with, a staggering number of blessings surrounds each of us. This is true even in hard times. Without getting into overlapping circles of gratitude, five … Read more…
When someone asks how we’re doing, we frequently answer, “Oh, hangin’ in there.” We can’t go deeper without burdening the sometimes casual questioner. Even when the question is sincere, it usually takes too much of our limited energy to explain what’s going on, especially for an introvert. More so, if … Read more…
Dating back to the days of horror that tore the nation apart during the 1861-1865 Civil War in the United States, Memorial Day honors those military heroes who gave their lives for their country while serving in the Armed Forces of this nation. Originally known as Decoration Day, the first … Read more…
The attitude at this time of year is so much that of gratitude (even enormous gratitude and even from those who are grieving) because of our many large and small blessings. And yet…it is an excruciatingly painful season for those who actually lost a family member or dear friend, especially … Read more…
It’s difficult to feel happy all the time, unless you’re descended from a long line of pollyannas. Happiness can be elusive. It’s a feeling that can come and go without warning. It’s different from joy which is deep-seated, no matter what else is happening to us. What is Joy? In … Read more…
Little did I know when I scheduled my last post about grief that before it ever appeared online, my own husband would suddenly pass away. I have been acutely sensitive to those who make thoughtless comments about and to those who are grieving, and I’ve personally lost relatives, friends and … Read more…
As aircraft fly over our crowded suburban valley to take part in a variety of Memorial Day air shows around the Southland, they bring a tangible reminder of how and why we are still free. For every patriotic holiday, they are here. And when I hear the unmistakable drone of the … Read more…
This year in the U.S.A. we celebrated the 100th anniversary of the setting aside of Mother’s Day as the second Sunday in May by President Woodrow Wilson. Some mothers would prefer that the government had never started the tradition for all the pain and heartache it has brought them over the decades. … Read more…