When my father passed, we placed a bench in his favorite state park as a memorial. It overlooks a small stream and is surrounded by massive trees. At some point, he learned the very important lesson that there is so much serenity to be found when surrounded by nature. It is a pure connection to the world that has been displaced by electronics, multitasking and the desire to always accomplish more. He knew that…
We all face challenges, moments when we question ourselves, our beliefs and even those whom we hold most dear but that is all part of our journey. And all of those events allow us to see life from a variety of different angles. During the difficult times, it feels like we can’t even look up far enough to see the light, but we always seem to find a way to fight back up to it…
Little Golden Books, now celebrating their 75th birthday, were among my favorite childhood books. Appearing on the market in 1942, Little Golden Books were the first high-quality books for children most parents could afford. Priced at just 25 cents and available where people shopped every day, they caused an instant sensation and were sold by the hundreds of thousands. My all-time favorite is still The Little Red Hen, nearly seven decades later. In fact,…
Here are some inspirational quotes I thought you might all enjoy: -No one else makes you free but God and yourself -Life is a balancing act…hold steady -Laughter: The Best cure for sadness -Nobody else makes who you are -Mothers: The Best Medicine -Grandmothers make the best hugs -Come here! Let me give you a hug! -Hugs and kisses cure everything -Prayers cure everything -Smile, I love you! Love cures everything -Life is a…
On the morning of September 11, 2001, and for a period of time that was either hours or an eternity- I can’t remember- we didn’t know where my brother was. We knew he was somewhere in lower Manhattan, where he attended Stuyvesant High School. Like any regular 14-year-old kid, most of the time he’d go right to school in the morning, and *other* times he’d run around with friends in the neighborhood first, or…
Your soul is such a reliable compass; many people say they rely on a “gut feeling” but I truly believe that it is one in the same. It is just no longer fashionable to refer to your soul as your guide. So call it what you want to, but listen to that wise voice inside, because it won’t let you down.
The famous saying says that there are three types of friends- friends for a reason, friends for a season and friends for a lifetime. In my humble opinion, all three types are priceless and enrich your entire life because you carry them all in your heart forever. Appreciate the time that you share with each friend and the lessons that come with their friendship.
It can be truly amazing how much a person can love another person. And yet sadly we do not fully comprehend the depth and completeness of that love until we are faced with living without it. And when I say without it, I really mean without the earthly reminder of it when we see that person or hear their voice. This kind of love is not really limited to the short-term capabilities of the…
“Why, why am I still here.” Her question to me was so simple, and her labored words told me just how much she wanted to be done here. But I had no definitive answer for her other than these difficult words. At 87, no one more deserves freedom and peace than you. But I’m a believer- and so are you, in a higher power. And that power protects us and guides…
“I feel that my work in progress has progressed to its final page and someone has glued it to the cover because there’s no more to be written,” she said to me in one of our many, many email conversations. It took me some time to process the gravity of her eloquent words as she tried to gently prepare me for the future. I needed to find a way to translate the feelings in my…