There always seems to be this burning desire to see the family that you wish you had. We use rose-colored glasses and excuse behavior that we would never tolerate from others. And all too often, we find ways to blame ourselves for the mean or hurtful actions of our family members. We tell ourselves that we deserve to be treated poorly or that we somehow failed to be the loving sibling or child that we…
There is a certain magic to be discovered during a walk on the beach. Somehow all of your troubles and all that is weighing on your mind and your heart is left behind. Bit by bit your troubles are wiped away by the sand with each step you take. Suddenly you feel calm and relaxed as you turn to make your return trip down the beach. Only this time you are mentally at peace. The…
Humans were never meant to be solitary creatures. But progress and innovation have made that fact easy to forget. Now a trip to the store produces food and clothing, shelter is bought not built, as is our means of getting from point a to point b. We no longer need the help of others to meet these needs. It would appear that by earning money, one can live completely independently from others. But the…
It’s always difficult to face the reality of a parent’s illness. Most children grow and thrive within the warm, protective sphere known as a loving parents care. And even when the relationship has been difficult or dysfunctional, there still seems to be a connection of more than simply genetics. This emotional connection to a parent might simply be a single, thin shred of hope that someday this complicated, or almost nonexistent relationship, will somehow…
We live in a world where technology touches almost every aspect of our lives. We listen to books and can have our trips routed by our vehicle’s GPS. We are even willing to allow an electronic device to secure our most treasured memories for safekeeping. Not to say that making a video of special moments is not a good idea, but there are some memories that should only be committed to pencil and paper or…
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…
“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…
Every time I am at a beach, I can’t help but be mesmerized by the tide. I can literally just sit and watch it for hours. The waves rise and fall in such a rhythmic pattern, it is as if I become a small child again snuggled up in the protective arms of my mother as she rocks me to sleep. Its peaceful and calming motion is somehow enhanced by the low din…