Our best laid plans? Life has other ideas.
My Son, the Office Worker
He’d managed to get his dirty clothes washed. Finally. But it took a phone call to his grandparents who live about an hour away. I imagine my son convincing his grandfather to fetch him, driving from their small town to the big city, and then back to their home for a family weekend of discussion […]
Can We Ever Truly Know Our Parents?
It’s Father’s Day. The first thing I did when I woke was go straight to the small framed Polaroid of my dad and me, taken on the last day I saw him. Father’s Day, nearly 25 years ago. There are a handful of other images tucked away. But that one, of the two of us, […]
Opposites Attract
It isn’t just about romantic relationships, though these are the most obvious examples. Opposites attract, and often thrive. Consider the couples you know – their physical or behavioral differences. Their widely divergent backgrounds. Now think about the facets of your own personality that you like the most, along with the traits you love in others […]
Father’s Day Gifts (Good, Better, Best)
Good gifts Digital SLRs. Flat panel TVs. Exotic watches. Cordless drills, wrench sets, any kind of tools. Grills, golf clubs, silk ties. These are good gifts, aren’t they? Maybe even fabulous gifts? This used to be the lexicon of my month of June – whatever the latest and greatest gifts might be – for the […]
Books, files, clothes, shoes: My life in the closet
It’s Saturday morning. I’m sipping coffee in the living room. Pouting. Glaring at two red chairs heaped with files and books and mail. I’m trying to will the mess away. So far, not so good. . . Nearby is an 8-pack of paper towels, a 12-pack of toilet paper, along with my sandals, my kid’s […]
If It Ain’t Broke. . . Break It?
Sure, sure. We all know the saying. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And most of the time, it makes sense. Why mess with a good thing, right? In fact, I’m a proponent of the “if it aint’ broke” crowd in many circumstances, especially in relationships. For example, I won’t be pushed to a […]
My Son, the Factory Worker
When the phone rang yesterday afternoon, I couldn’t have been more delighted. I recognized the number immediately – it was my 18-year old son calling from Europe. The last time we talked, he was fresh off 20 long hours of travel. He was weary, but excited to find himself overseas again. He was ready to […]
Making Excuses
Setting goals you can’t seem to meet? Are you fighting to attain a dress size? Looking to lose extra pounds and never quite making your goal weight? Your “skinny jeans” make a mockery of your daily diet and your self-esteem. You visit your closet nostalgically, running your fingers over jackets and blouses that once made […]
Home Alone
It is a long weekend in the States. A holiday. Memorial Day. For some, it is a day spent in realization of this occasion. But for most, this weekend announces the arrival of summer vacations, of travel, of family time. Carefree or carefully constructed schedules. A break in routine. A break, of any sort. And […]