Living Your Life

Never Lose Hope

May 3rd, 2012
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I am always searching for ways to simplify my life and focusing my outlook on the positive.

When I read this quote from Pulitzer Prize winner Tomas Transtromer, the beauty of his message struck me immediately and brought to mind the flittering and lightness of butterflies.
As we read Transtromer’s quote, may we think of ourselves today as butterflies, circling through the air with our friends and family, full of the knowledge that in time we can create a new future and develop new meaning from a personal loss.
“The caterpillar feet were gone, the wings unfolded.
 

One should never … Read More

Parental Crunch Time

April 30th, 2012
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As a single parent, I can feel myself entering that time of year every parent knows as “crunch time.” The end of the school year is upon us and that always means that something that should have been done earlier in the school year and was forgotten or postponed now suddenly has to be done.  Everyone knows exactly when the school year ends and is starting to count the days until they can be free of homework and enjoy summer. Whether it’s a term paper, an art project, extra credit to try and raise a grade or a presentation of… Read More

The Amazing Power of Music

April 27th, 2012
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What would our lives be like if we didn’t have the amazing sounds of music? Listening to music can enhance a mood or change a mood.  It can calm our thoughts and center our inner personas.  Music enriches our lives on so many different levels and creates exciting connections no matter what our age. Our souls are thirsty for the melodies that spur our imaginations to take flight and go where our bodies can’t.  Sometimes when I am listening to a song, I feel the years melt away and I am immediately transported back to a first date, a family… Read More

Shifting Gears

April 26th, 2012
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Hi There Faithful Readers: I don’t have much to say today because yesterday was one of those days when I swear I must have worked every gear possible to make it through the 24 hours that made up Wednesday. Between being caught in incredible traffic backups caused by accidents that involved cars and Metrobuses on the way to work and on the way home, I have come to truly believe that Washington, DC is a city full of incompetent, selfish and stupid drivers.  I know that’s saying a lot but you try driving in this city and I think you’ll… Read More

Talking To Myself

April 25th, 2012
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I was eating my breakfast and watching the local news yesterday when I heard some good news: a new study says that talking to yourself is good for your brain. Woot!  Woot! Woot! What a relief!!!!!!  I’m not alone!!!!!!! I constantly talk aloud to myself and I think it first started after my son was born.  It didn’t matter that he couldn’t answer me. I got used to verbalizing my thoughts out loud to him.  While I was in the house taking care of my son as a newborn, and then later as a young child, I would constantly talk… Read More

Sleepy Time

April 20th, 2012
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I love the scent of lavender.  Too bad there isn’t smell-a-vision for the picture above, right? At the farmer’s market near my office, a lavender farmer is one of the vendors and it is heavenly to smell the soaps, creams and oils he sells.  I knew you could cook with  lavender but I didn’t know that it had secret sleeping powers.  Browsing around in one of my health books, I came upon some information that might help those of you who are struggling with getting a good night’s sleep. Grief can put your sleeping patterns into a netherworld of having… Read More

The Slip Slide of Time

April 19th, 2012
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Time just seems to slip slide away when you find yourself navigating a loss. I’m not talking about how quickly time can seem to go while living our lives.  I’m talking about the strange sensation that where time seem to go back and forth between the past and present while trying to recover from a loss or a trauma.  It seems to slip slide all over the place.  When I feel this happening to me, I take it as a sign that my life needs to slow down a bit and be experienced in smaller increments.  Thinking about the future… Read More

Small Things With Great Love

April 18th, 2012
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My small thing today is to take good thoughts, good vibes, good prayers and anything else that’s good and mix it with lots and lots of “great love” and send it directly to a very special woman who is going into surgery. She is a quiet fighter and I admire the way she has handled her journey so much!! xo p.s.  Thanks Silver Pen for sharing the perfect thought!… Read More

Letting Go

April 17th, 2012
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Longer, warmer days are making me yearn for a simpler life. Lighter clothes and lighter food are definitely the way to go.  There’s something about the change in seasons that makes me want to lighten my material load here on earth and get about to the de-cluttering of my nest.  This past weekend I was cleaning the house and I started pulling stuff out of my closet and making piles of “keep,” “donate” or “give away.”  Getting  rid of things you never use or wear feels so great!  But de-cluttering isn’t just about your material things. You can de-clutter your… Read More