My mom is so cool! At 92-years-old she has defied all platitudes and expectations. An original thinker, she was always before her time. She meditated and did yoga before I barely even knew what it was and she had us doing yoga poses to clear up a cold. I even remember her jogging in place… Read more »
Our Thanksgiving was lively and rich with family. Kids running around, dogs misbehaving, food heated and served in abundance. But it was particularly intense this year. Within the past few months a close family member had a recurrence of a disease, another was raw from a divorce in progress and my daughter came with her… Read more »
Moms can be so annoying! You have lived with their idiosyncrasies your whole life and maybe they haven’t changed. In some cases they have gotten more glaring. And how about those times when you catch yourself acting and sounding just like your mom, saying the things that you have tried to run away from but… Read more »
There is a new person in the world! My daughter had a baby two weeks ago. Soft and warm, sweet and pure, a new little boy was born. Everything that he does is miraculous, from opening his eyes to sucking and pooping, and the adults who love him marvel at each accomplishment. He has a… Read more »
My son built a fort for my eight-year-old granddaughter, six-year-old grandson and me to watch a movie. It was a construction of pillows, chairs and cozy blankets in the middle of their living room floor. He made popcorn and flavored it with corn chex and white chocolate, then he went into the basement to use… Read more »
It was Christmas eve in Michigan and I was visiting my son and his family. They told me that there was something special that they wanted us all to do on that night…something that happens every night in December in that town. We got bundled up (the kids in woolen hats and snow pants) and… Read more »
Over Thanksgiving, I was fortunate to be with extended family for a three-day celebration. Among the events of the visit there were several faux pas such as a guest’s dog pooping on the floor as soon as they arrived and the host dropping the turkeys and the marinade all over the kitchen counter the day… Read more »
It’s all about family. For those who don’t have family, it could feel lonely or isolating. And for those getting together with family, it often involves travel during crowded times…packing, rushing to airports, dealing with delayed flights or crowded roads and foods that might not agree with you. But, more importantly, why is being with… Read more »
When in Bhutan I visited a common farmhouse. The furnishings were meager, with a thin mattress on the floor serving as a bed and a primitive cooking setup. I walked from room to room quietly taking in the kind of life that these people must have, the rooms feeling cold and bare to me. Then… Read more »
My son and I picked up his four-year-old son and a friend from school. He got into the car with stories about his day and a zip lock bag with three cookies. “Did you make cookies today?” My son asked. “Yes,” his child answered as he opened the bag and gave one to his friend…. Read more »
