Most of us are thinking about gift-giving around this time of year, and it is often a stressful time. That defeats the purpose of gift-giving, which could be joyful and fun. Maybe we can begin with a gift to ourselves, one of calm and peacefulness during this season of many different celebrations. How can we “buy” that gift for ourselves? We can be aware of the stress first and acknowledge it. Then look for the ...
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Not long ago, I began a gratitude journal. It is in addition to my regular daily journal. It doesn’t take long every evening to list what I am grateful for that day. Sometimes I make short comments beside particular entries, but mostly the entries are just lists. It’s a really nice way to end the day, remembering the positive things. Since it’s close to the last thing I do every day, I can smile myself ...
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It’s October with only ¼ of the year left in 2019. I’m in the habit of saying, “Time flies when you’re having fun. . .or even if you’re not having fun.” But this month is my birth month, and I’m going to be 70. It seems like a long time ago that I came into this world. So much has happened in my lifetime: computers, cell phones, digital everything, climate change, electric cars and all ...
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Here in Southwest Missouri, where I live, it’s been an unusual summer, unpredictable: lots of rain, cooler temperatures than usual, the flowers still beautiful and grass green. I began to reflect on other things that I can’t predict besides weather. I don’t know what each day will bring. I can plan and try to stay with my normal routines and even schedule other activities to fit in among the usual things I do, but something ...
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Some call August the dog days of summer. The term came from Greek and Roman astrology as the period following the rise of the star system Sirius, which was thought to cause heat, drought, lethargy, mad dogs and back luck. I wrote a poem titled “August” that is in my book Just Show Up, that describes this hot, humid month: August The morning breezes floating through open windows billow sheer, ruffled curtains into rooms catching ...
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Summer is really here now, and I guess it’s time. Everything is still in bloom and beautiful where I am, because of adequate rain and sunshine, but hot and dry may soon appear. What do you do in the summer? My gardening friends are constantly working in their yards, people are going on vacations, to the beach or lake or mountains. It’s a great time to be doing something. We celebrate the independence of our ...
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Since I gave mothers some blog space in May, I guess I will write about fathers in June. The 16th is Father’s Day, a day to contemplate and/or celebrate fathers. My dad died 10 years ago after a long illness. He worked hard at living those last three years, and, I think, had some good days. I was at his side with my mother when he died. I remember she was baking cookies and had ...
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May includes a special day to celebrate mothers. It can be a joyous day or one of sadness or anger or a whole range of emotions. Nevertheless, Mother’s Day arrives on May 12th this year, and it gives us a chance to pause and think about Mom. I am a mother, but only in memory, since my son died twelve years ago. Some years since then have been difficult, others full of happy memories of ...
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It is April, and signs of spring are beginning to show: buds popping out all over promising flowers and leaves, many by the end of the month; gardeners will be champing at the bit to get outside to clean out the flower beds and get them ready for the planting to come; and the air will feel different, soft and fresh. I am not a gardener, so my mind turns to spring cleaning and flushing ...
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March is a month of transitions. March 10th is the beginning of Daylight Saving Time, which is a misnomer, because no daylight is actually saved. It is just taken off the morning and tacked onto the evening. I’m one who thinks we should just set one system and stick with it. Then, March 20th is the first day of Spring, a season many people look forward to, especially if the winter has been harsh. Often ...
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