The Charlevoix Nativity Scene
A precious nativity scene reminds me why it is worth the calorie burn to decorate for the holidays each year
Thankful on Thanksgiving
The only way to suspend the onslaught of time is by fully inhabiting the moments of our lives and being present. My day felt elongated yesterday, filled as it was with meaningful exchanges. I was and am grateful. A good way to usher in the Thanksgiving holiday.
Convening for Creativity
Eureka! Finally! Science and medicine are catching up with the arts! Members of these esteemed communities are now acknowledging that creativity is good for you in the same way physical exercise and good nutrition is.
I attended what was called a Convening for Creating Healthy Communities hosted and sponsored by the Pabst Steinmetz Foundation and University of Florida Center for Arts in Medicine and the couple of weeks ago at the Dr. Phillips Performing Arts Center in Orlando. Guess what I learned? An essential ingredient for a healthy community? The arts. All of them. Any of them.
Mini-Adventures Enrich the Spirit
Adventures don’t have to be big and bold. Adventures come in many sizes and forms and help us feel young again. I like taking mini-adventures that sometimes aren’t planned but thrust on you like when you are riding your bike in the afternoon and the summer rains make an unexpected appearance.
An Ode to Dogs on National Dog Day
National Dog Day is celebrated each year on August 26. The buoyancy our furry friends provide is balm for our Covid-weary spirits. Pets made great companions during the throes of the pandemic. I experienced separation anxiety when we felt brave enough to take our first trip (as I’m sure they did, too. “Wait, I thought we were BFFs, their imploring eyes and barks conveyed.)
What is Authentic Gratitude?
The “Gratitude” Industry must be huge. Countless books and journals focus on the topic, including titles such as The One Minute Gratitude Journal; Good Days Start with Gratitude, TheGratitude Journal for Men, The Gratitude Journal for Women (because of course gratitude differs across gender lines?), and The Psychology of Gratitude, to name just a few.
If You Want to Make God Laugh...
Dear God,
I hope miracles are still in your wheelhouse because I sure need a couple right now. I have been so sick for ten days. Please help me surrender my raggedy breath, snotty nose, and fierce, shuddering cough to your (hopefully) healing hands. I confess to having doubts right now about your very existence. Why would such a loving force subject her children to such misery?
#Saytheirnames: Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss
Happy 4th of July! Today is America’s day to celebrate our independence and the brave people who make it possible. I’ve been thinking about our democracy and freedoms of late as I have watched the January 6th House committee hearings. I’m pretty sure I’ve watched every minute of them. I guess semi-retirement affords me the luxury of flex time so I can watch the hearings at 2:00 in the afternoon on a Tuesday. I’m glad because it feels important. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, it feels like the health of our democracy is at stake. These hearings have given me a measure of hope as brave Democrats and Republicans have stood up to protect our democratic processes.
Books Are Us
I’m pretty psyched. I completed what turned out to be the fourth or even fifth, actually more likely the sixth, set of revisions on my book. It has been a three-year project, and I have you, my blog subscribers, to thank for this feat. My blog posts and your responses to them formed the nucleus of my book project. Initially, I naively thought I could throw my blogs together and make a book. “Oh no”, said my publisher. It requires much more of you than that. I almost wish I had written it in conjunction with pursuing a master’s in fine arts (MFA) since it feels like I just completed my dissertation. The title is (shock of shocks) Be Brave! Lose the Beige: Finding Your Sass After Sixty; She Writes Press is my publisher, and the launch is scheduled for next May.
Friendships Work Because, Hopefully, "We Aren't all Nuts On the Same Day"
I’m a big fan of writer Ann Lamott and follow her on Facebook. She recently posted about turning sixty-eight. To arrive at this age, she says, means you weren’t born yesterday. It means you have experienced a great deal–friends and family ravaged by cancer, Ukraine, Sandy Hook, the warming of the earth. “How do we handle unspeakable loss?” she asks. By having a few best friends with whom you can share your truth.
Part 3: The Medical Saga Continues
The Squeaky Wheel
Access to medical care during the time of COVID-19 is limited. You have to be a squeaky wheel advocating on behalf of your loved ones.
I Stole My Husband
New Year's Reflections
Grateful for Animal Crossings this Thanksgiving
I confess to having blue expectations about Thanksgiving this year. Our kids and friends had other plans or were too far away to make traveling accessible. The holiday does not really have enough days built in to justify the expense. Ultimately, though, our Thanksgiving blessings scattered themselves throughout the week.
A Passion for Clay Molded a Friendship
I lost a beloved friend last week. Julie Caton was (it’s hard to use past tense in referring to her) a cultured, intelligent, grace-filled person. She quietly attended mass at St. Margaret Mary Catholic church most days. She didn’t make a big deal about her spiritual life, she simply lived out her practices. As sophisticated as Julie was, she disdained fancy. She embraced Florida’s casual lifestyle. Everything about Julie was authentic.
The Jeremiah Project Obit
“Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand”. That line served as a metaphor for our program. Clay comes from the ground and grounds those who touch it; clay requires centering on the potter’s wheel before it can be shaped; clay is forgiving, it can be remolded if we make a mistake; shaping a vessel simulates the power we have to shape our own lives. These were the messages we hoped, ever so subtly, to convey. It’s amazing how a ball of clay and a spinning wheel ground and center even the most anxious of pupils. Creative expression can be an oasis, offering a refuge for kids whose lives are often fraught with turmoil and hardship.
Hot Golf
God Must Have a Sense of Humor
No Son, Your Body Odor Does Not Smell Like Roses
Find a full index of all of the Be Brave. Lose the Beige! blog posts here