Dear Journeyer, I am often asked some variation of this question: “It’s been three years since my child/parent/sibling/spouse/best friend died and I feel worse now than I did when it happened. What is wrong with me?” Though this query often references the death of a person, I have also heard it with regard to other forms of loss, including but … Read More
The Circle of Life
Happy Sunday, Journeyer! I know you will understand and appreciate the brevity of this post. I spent this past week preparing projects for this work, to train and certify five of our neighbors in the Integrated Energy Therapy® modality, and working my Outside Job. Today sums up so much of what Life is all about. In a matter of hours, … Read More
Living the Dream
My children have always lamented the fact that I cannot go anywhere without running into someone I know. Big Guy has proclaimed more than once, “My mother will talk to any random stranger.” Which means that everywhere I go I am always taking pause to converse with another human being. Which means my children have often found themselves staring blankly … Read More
Joan Didion, Abigail Thomas, and Writing Lists, Memos, Messages
In the past two days, I have written the following: · Numerous text and e-mail responses. · Numerous text and e-mail correspondences. · Two hand-written notes to send in the mail. One to my son. One to the mail lady. · Messages on two birthday cards. · Lengthy responses to an application to speak at a TEDx event. · An e-mail to administration … Read More
From a Train Window
As I gaze out of the train window onto a thick fog, Liz Gilbert suddenly pops into my thoughts. And I wonder. I wonder if she traveled by train when she moved from place to place, as she wrote Eat, Pray, Love. I wonder if she wrote longhand, in sweeping, cursive characters, or if she used an electronic device, as … Read More
The Making of a Happy Liver
Today, my job has brought me to a maximum security men’s prison in upstate New York. I was one of six adults enlisted to transport seven at-risk students to the prison for an awareness program. Five inmates, including three murderers, participate in an intensive training program before going on to teach delinquent students, to try to reach them, to encourage … Read More
On Happiness
“Happiness is fleeting,” a psychologist once told me. He couldn’t have been more correct. I, like so many of you, have been trying for years, now, to figure out–to comprehend the meaning of a happy life. For some reason, we seem to believe that to be happy, we must have this sense of ongoing euphoria, the fairy tale, the trumpeting and hand … Read More
Family Minus One
In my last post, I spoke about recent concerns with my college-aged son. He’s not very happy with me right now. As such, he hasn’t called home in over a week. He didn’t return my “Just calling to say ‘hi,’ and to tell you I love you,” call. Only a brief, all-you-need-to-know response to a question I texted him. I … Read More
An Almost Adult Story
The leaves on the trees are already beginning to turn, just a hint of color, but, nonetheless, color. A few have even begun to flutter to the ground, drifting daintily in the gently breeze. The record temperatures continue here in the northeast, but autumn has signaled her approach. I head back to work next week, as my two younger children go back to … Read More
Family Momentum II
Shortly after my daughter’s sixteenth birthday party, my oldest son and I loaded the last few items into his car and headed out on the long journey to college. I must say, a little worry tugged at me. You see, he inherited my stubborn and self-willed genetic traits. What if we don’t get along? How are we going to survive … Read More
- Page 1 of 2
- 1
- 2