A little something different for a Spring weekend, whatever the weather? Sylvia Plath’s Mad Girl’s Love Song is one of my favorite poems from my teenage years. Recently, something reminded me of the words, “I think I made you up inside my head,” and I found myself searching out this classic example of the villanelle […]
Who Haven’t You Met – Yet?
It was worn and fragile, about two inches long, with a brown cover in soft leather. Inside, its translucent pages bore minuscule print which was nonetheless legible – verse after verse, recounting a tale of missed opportunities and lost love. It was Longfellow’s Evangeline. Somewhere, stored in a box in the back of a drawer, […]
Pucker Up
How much do you know about your teenager’s social life? How much does he or she know about yours? I can’t remember ever catching one of my sons in a furtive lip lock. (I suspect that both are smart enough to retreat to the leafier areas of our yard, to their rooms, or to a […]
Deal Breakers
A list of non-negotiables before marriage, and maybe after.
“I Want to Be Alone”
When time alone feels essential, even in a relationship.
Pacing Yourself
Why you should take your time in a relationship – if you care about it.
Romance Fitness
Spring, with its indefinable je ne sais quoi. And it has me thinking about taking risk, about lifestyle change, about romance. Let’s be honest. Sex is accessible to most of us, if we really want it. But romance is a different story. It’s a matter of the heart, whatever your marital or parental status. It […]
Rise and Shine
There was cruelty in the way she did it. And no matter how many times I asked her to stop, she refused. But then, there was cruelty in the way she approached many of those she professed to love, and I still feel the sting of her words, and the burn of her unanticipated rages. […]
Be Mine? Be Yours
Those lovely little candy hearts. I can still remember sorting through them, seeking exactly the right sentiment and the perfect pastel color, ready to glue onto construction paper. Red, naturally. Then it was time for crayons, scissors, and Elmer’s. A bit of lace or velvet for a bow. A sprinkle of glitter and that would […]
The See-Saw or the Tug-of-War?
Have you ever tried the see-saw? Do you remember the pleasure of riding up and down, up and down – but only enjoying it if your friend on the other side was of similar size and weight? When the balance is a mismatch, you are more likely to pop up in a jerky fashion (and […]