Yearly Archives:: 2013

I’m In Today

December 4th, 2013
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A friend from a support group sent me a wonderful short poem (which I am sharing below) reminding me about the priority of today.
On one level, I suppose you could say it’s about managing your time but on another level, I think it’s about figuring out what’s important to you and staying focused on the things you want to pursue or accomplish and the people in your life that you really want to hang out with.
That can be a tall order when you have lots of responsibilities from daily life vying for your attention but I find that … Read More

Have Some Fun

December 2nd, 2013
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Some people are hard wired to grab life for all its worth and wring everything out of it that is humanly possible.At this time of year, I know how easy it is to feel frustrated.  Those dark thoughts start trying to find a place to live in your head and your heart but you have to find a way to kick them out because they will only drag you down.According to Dr. Rita Freedman, Ph.D., a former professor of psychology and author of “Overcoming Loss,” efforts to heal your soul  won’t work “if you keep on punishing yourself or the… Read More

Family On Air Force Two

November 30th, 2013
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Black Friday for me was all about family. I have a cousin who is a major in the US Air Force and he and his wonderful family are stationed at Andrews Air Force Base which is about a 45-minute drive from my house.  He invited family members to come to Andrews yesterday and he conducted a special tour for us of Air Force Two and a number of other VIP jet planes. We had three generations of family with us and we spent a different kind of day together, hanging out, catching up and learning something new about our cousin’s… Read More

Nothing More — The Alternate Routes

November 29th, 2013
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After a day spent counting our blessings and giving thanks, today we are full of gratitude right? To keep that warm and fuzzy and wonderful feeling of kindness going, here is a song introduced to me by Hannah Donnelly (a Jesuit Volunteer Corps alumni & my son’s girlfriend) that I know I will be singing or humming to myself today or whenever I feel my patience starting to wear.  It is a beautiful song, offering hope and I think it fosters the spirit of giving. The song, “Nothing More” was written specifically for Newtown Kindness (www.newtownkindness.org) and is performed by… Read More

Giving Thanks!!

November 28th, 2013
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Today is a day when I pause to give thanks for all of the incredible gifts God has sent my way and also it’s a day when it’s okay to eat too much. I am lucky to have wonderful friends and family and to be able to visit some of them today.  I know that during the hustle and bustle of this holiday that I will scan the room and think about the blessings in my life. I never take what I have for granted for I know how quickly a person’s life can change.  I also am thankful for… Read More

20 Things We Need To Say

November 27th, 2013
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Today is about something light and healing because lots of people will be traveling so that they can spend Thanksgiving Day with those they care about. I love Kid President and his ability to make me and many, many others smile and laugh about the crazy things that happen in the unpredictable world around us.He’s irresistible!  I hope you agree! Kid President This new video is particularly cute (especially if you like corn dogs) and timely as Kid President reminds us of 20 things we need to remember to say more often to each other because these words repeated on… Read More

A Buddhist Rice Bowl

November 26th, 2013
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Here Is Something To Think About. . . . “In Zen Buddhism, there’s a concept called ‘zen mind,’ or beginner’s mind.’  They say that the mind should be like an empty rice bowl. If it’s already full, then the universe can’t fill it. If it’s empty, it has room to receive. This means that when we think we have things figured out, we’re not teachable.  Genuine insight can’t dawn on a mind that’s not open to receive it. Surrender is a process of emptying the mind.”                                   ~ By Marianne Williamson, “A Return To Love, Reflections on the Principles of A… Read More

Nate Berkus Moves Forward

November 25th, 2013
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When I share stories on this blog about my travels with grief over the past several years, I do so in the hopes that it will help others cope with their losses.  Grief can be isolating even though I believe most people want to connect with others and especially those who have been where they are when they experience a loss.I think everyone wants to feel that someone, anyone gets what’s going on with them; especially at this time of the year. One of the ways I found a connection was through reading.  In the beginning of grieving the loss… Read More

50 Years Ago In Dallas

November 22nd, 2013
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On November 22, 1963, I was 9 years old and off from school that day because I felt sick. I was under the covers of my parents bed and watching the black and white television they had in their bedroom.  For some reason my Dad was home that day and he come upstairs to see how I was when the television programming stopped and the unbelievable and shocking news was announced that President John F. Kennedy has been shot in Dallas and died. I had never seen my father cry before and I didn’t know what to do.  He went… Read More