The Circle of Life, Death, and Learning

“Will the circle be unbroken By and by, lord, by and by…” Ada R. Habershon It’s part of becoming an elder, isn’t it? Death and dying enters our circle as a constant rather than an occasional visitor. One of my best friends died in January and now the husband of another close friend has begun […]

Self-Referencing on a Bad Day

Hi Love, I learned a new phrase for what is an old behavior for me. You called me on it several years ago. Imagine my chagrin when you told me that I turned every conversation around to me. Up until that time, I thought I was establishing rapport. You tell me a story. I tell […]

In a Word: Racism

I am fortunate enough to have groups of women with whom I can share my thoughts. One such gathering has chosen a list of words.  Each month we discuss what one of the words means to us. What feelings it engenders. What we can learn about ourselves in a context of thought and discussion about […]

The Glory of Marching Toward…

As a woman: I own my knowledge and my particular ways of knowing. I own my power and the strength it gives me individually and as a part of the whole. I own my rights and know that when I claim them I am in a position to give voice to others. I own my […]

My Little Part

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” Robert Swann I am going back into my own corner. I’m ignoring the news as much as possible. I’m not riling myself with the snippets on social media. Om! It’s not that I have less concern. It is that I […]

Gratitude – The Practice

Grat.i.tude ( a noun) The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness A feeling of appreciation and thankfulness for blessings or benefits we have received To recognize that the sources of goodness are outside of ourselves. An emotion expressing appreciation for what one has         Dear Children and Grandchildren, It […]

Infinity of Mirrors

“…though evil must be opposed, when it is fought with evil’s ways it must ultimately corrupt and strangle the opposer.” Richard Condon (dust cover of An Infinity of Mirrors) Richard Condon’s horrific story of Hitler’s reign left an indelible mark on me in my twenties. Not just because of the history of the holocaust, I […]

Spirit Day

Bullying has been an issue since time began. Speaking out against it is fairly new. In 2010 the GLAAD organization named a day to stand for school- age LGBT* children and youth. I fully support their concept. And I stand against bullying of anyone anytime. Hitting, teasing, demeaning, calling out, making fun…the list of tactics […]

Words of My Father

In promulgating your esoteric cogitations or articulating your superficial sentimentalities and amicable, philosophical or psychological observations, beware of platitudinous ponderosity.  Let  your conversational communications demonstrate a clarified conciseness, a compact comprehensibleness, no coalescent conglomerations of precious garrulity, jejune bafflement and asinine affectations.  Let your extemporaneous verbal evaporations and expatriations have lucidity, intelligibility and veracious vivacity […]

The Grandparent Thing

“There were no mirrors in my Nana’s house/no mirrors in my Nana’s house/So the beauty that I saw in everything/the beauty in everything/was in her eyes/like the rising of the sun. I only knew love and I never knew hate.” Ysaye M. Barnwell What was my model for grandparenting? Interesting question! Thinking back to when […]