Male & Female Grief Talk

February 22nd, 2013
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As a woman, I have had many conversations with men about all different kinds of subjects.  After years of experience I can tell you that if you are not talking to men about sports, sex, food or them that after a certain amount of time, their eyes will start to glaze over and their ears will tune you out.
Most women instinctively know that they like to talk a lot more than men do.  I know that I really enjoy verbally taking a situation apart and talking about it and then verbally trying to put it back together again in … Read More

Roger Rosenblatt’s Reflections

February 13th, 2013
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Some wonderful friends on the West Coast gave me Roger Rosenblatt’s book, Kayak Morning, as a Christmas present.  I was familiar with Rosenblatt as a writer for Time magazine and also as a columnist for The Washington Post, but was unfamiliar with the tragic death of his daughter, Amy Solomon,  a 38-year-old wife and mother of three children, from a heart condition. In Kayak Morning, which was written two years after Amy’s death, Rosenblatt explores the human experience of loss.  His descriptions of his grief and his reflections about his daughter Amy’s death are calm and straightforward yet poignant. It… Read More

Getting Into The Zen Groove

February 8th, 2013
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“Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” – St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of writers   Courtesy of Bethany Fine Arts Gallery From my core being, I am trying so very hard to attain a zen state of mind. This year is the year when I am trying to learn to meditate and think about serene things and scenes of nature that bring to mind a balance of calm and beauty. It is a matter of trial… Read More

It’s Your Road

February 5th, 2013
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Thought For The Day. . . I know this picture is a bit on the grainy side, but I really liked the sentiment of the saying: “It’s your road, and yours alone.   Others may walk it with you, But no one can walk it for you.” It would be nice if someone could take our place and walk on our road for awhile; perhaps making it less painful. Wouldn’t that be nice? But we don’t know where our road is going to take us, do we?  I believe that my road has been painful but it also has been a… Read More

Healing Therapy

February 1st, 2013
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Drawing By NYC Multiple Medium Artist Joe Mangrum One of my sisters has a shoulder that is frozen and she is going to a physical therapist who helps her work through the incredibly stiff shoulder muscles and joint.  If the physical therapy doesn’t work, then she may have to have surgery and she really doesn’t want that to happen. The other day we were talking about her physical therapy and she was telling me about how the therapist told her that to really get the exercises to unlock the muscles and joint that she would need to take the current… Read More

Comfort Dogs

January 28th, 2013
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“Charlie”  They say that dogs can sense when people need comforting. And when dogs feel a person’s fatigue, sadness or loneliness, it is in their nature to give companionship and sometimes entertainment to the person in need. I have been watching the generous spirit of a new puppy named Charlie who has joined the family of one of my sisters.  Charlie is full of so much energy and love and he just can’t wait for someone to hold him and play with him.  Charlie is a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel and he has an uncanny sixth sense about which person… Read More

A Year of Blessings

January 17th, 2013
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How Have You Been Blessed? I know we are in the middle of January, but I just saw this idea on a website called The Honest Company (www.honest.com) and I wanted to share it right away.  Hopefully, this idea is new for you too! Here’s the basic idea:  At the beginning of a new year, start writing down blessings that happen to you throughout the year and put them in a container.  On New Year’s Eve or Day 2014, you can empty out the jar and read all about the year of blessings that you had! The Honest Company’s blog… Read More

Cooking for Children With Cancer

January 11th, 2013
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Danielle Cook Navidi (in apron) Photo Courtesy of Georgetown University Hospital If you ever doubted that one person can make a difference, then please meet Danielle Cook Navidi. Navidi is a loving mother totally committed to the idea that she could cook healthy food for her then 11-year-old son, Fabien Navidi-Kasmai, diagnosed and receiving treatment for Stage III Hodgkin’s lymphoma.  His taste buds were shot, he couldn’t digest his favorite foods and sadly, he would go for days without eating. Navidi reminds me of many mothers I know who are steadfast in their beliefs about what can help their children… Read More

Mental Relaxation

January 8th, 2013
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Planes, trains, cars and boats are not always at the ready to take us to dreamy destinations. Work, finances and other life responsibilities sometimes get in the way of traveling even though everyone needs take occasional breaks from their surroundings, especially if life is particularly stressful or painful. You can’t always take a vacation even if you really need or want one. But you can read a book. I saw this wonderful saying from Dr. Suess (posted above) on one of my favorite websites, The Silver Pen (www.thesilverpen.com) and was reminded of the magical healing power of reading and books.… Read More