Yearly Archives:: 2012

Keegan — The Opposite of Loneliness

May 31st, 2012
Posted By:

Marina Keegan
Marina Keegan had something to say and she said it extremely well as a writer for the Yale Daily News.
Before graduating from Yale this month, Marina wrote the below column to her classmates, reflecting on her positive college experience, her sense of life’s possibilities and the nervousness of going out into the real world and following her dream of being a writer.
As the mother of a recent college graduate, I recognize what she was feeling when she wrote this beautiful column and have heard some of the same thoughts from my son.  Tragically, Keegan’s prescient words … Read More

Finding Joy

May 30th, 2012
Posted By:

Fear less, hope more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Hate less, love more; And all good things are yours.… Read More

Vice President Joe Biden’s Grief Journey

May 29th, 2012
Posted By:

Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, at an event organized by Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Vice President Joe Biden emotionally extended a helping hand to military families last Friday by sharing how he endured the death of his wife and daughter and revealed that at that time his grief took him to a place where he understood for the first time how people can consider suicide to be a viable option. Whether you agree with Biden’s politics or not, his remarks were striking and intimate. Grief and how it feels is not a subject you expect… Read More

Memorial Day & Rolling Thunder

May 28th, 2012
Posted By:

Soldiers place American flags in front of the headstones at Arlington National Cemetary Today on Memorial Day, I want to pause and say “Thank you” to all the men and women and their families who make immense sacrifices every day so that we may live free and practice democracy in the United States of America. Putting your life on the line is the ultimate way of giving back and today’s volunteer Army does more than its share because men and women usually do more than one tour of duty.  The physical and mental toll of combat continues after they return… Read More

To market, To market

May 25th, 2012
Posted By:

Photo by katieleekitchen If it’s Thursday, then it must be White House Farmer’s Market Day! Beautiful, juicy strawberries, freshly washed pesticide-free kale and farm grown tomatoes were all lined up on the tables today and looking fabulous.  It’s a treat for me to get out of the office and feel the warm welcoming sun on my face as I walk the four blocks to the market, one of the city’s many farmer’s markets where people can consistently find unlimited and natural nutrients. Today there was a new vendor.  I didn’t see the name of the farm but I believe it… Read More

The Fear of Tears

May 24th, 2012
Posted By:

Earlier this week, my son and I were reminiscing about our journey through the college and high school years that occurred immediately after his father’s/my husband’s death and in the midst of talking we started laughing about a period of time that was quite painful and confusing for us. What’s up with that? It surprised us that this happened and I thought I would share this experience with my wonderful readers because it might help someone to know that there is always hope and that things can turn themselves around when you least expect it.  If our conversation helps someone… Read More

Dreamers

May 22nd, 2012
Posted By:

I spent the weekend with thousands of dreamers: young men and women who after four years of study and hard work at Fordham University graduated with a degree in their field of study.  Some have jobs and some do not but I would say that all are ready to set the world on fire with their enthusiasm in order to contribute to making the world a better place. It was a perfectly planned and executed commencement ceremony and I was one proud mama watching my son give his speech as Salutatorian and later accept his diploma.  Singer Tony Bennett and… Read More

Bella Donna Summer

May 18th, 2012
Posted By:

Talk about someone providing the music of your life. For me, that would definitely be Donna Summer.; winner of five Grammy Awards!! Bad Girls…Hot Stuff…Heaven Knows…On the Radio…Dim All The Lights. Crank up the jukebox and turn on the disco ball because I can trace boyfriends, Friday night after work blowouts and dancing with my husband to the fantastic music of Donna Summer!  In fact, the very last song we played at our wedding reception was “Last Dance.”  Summer’s music made me feel full of energy; as though I could dance forever and I think she brought out a little… Read More

Kris Carr — Reboot Yourself

May 17th, 2012
Posted By:

Kris Carr Kris Carr is an incredible resource that just keeps on giving! As an author and wellness coach and someone who constantly inspires me, Carr has a sassy and down-to-earth style that speaks to me when I need an emotional lift.  I find she always helps me reboot my health and wellness priorities whenever I think I am not eating right, exercising enough or stressing my brains out. As a cancer survivor, Carr draws from her personal experiences and she also draws from the advice of medical and health experts to provide helpful tips on self-care.  I just love… Read More