Blended By blogAre you an Adam Sandler fan? We are all fans here in our house. One year for Christmas, [my late husband] Tim got me every Adam Sandler movie he had made so far. I love most of his stuff, but I don’t really ever buy videos because I keep things simple when I can. I appreciated the thoughtful gesture, though. My favorite duo is Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore.
Simple Minded By blogThis is the seventh blog in a series. To read the earlier entries, click here: Archive: The ThirdAge Romance Saga of Sally Franz.The great thing about living in a place that is a vacation destination is that everyone finally wants to come visit me. Not so when I lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma or Tarboro, NC. Not saying those places don't have their peculiar charm, but living next to a national park trumps azaleas and magnolias (in 104 degree heat) big time.
How To Live Your Life: 10 Tips from My Mother By blogI call my mom at least once a day. Today we talked about buying a scrabble app for her computer. Ninety- two years old and my mother is going to play scrabble on her Mac! How fabulous is this mother of mine! I would normally go on to my next activity, but with a broken ankle I have time to reflect about this mother of mine and her sage advice dripping with wisdom and values for women of all ages. Grandmothers, mothers, and daughters will gain from reading this.My mother’s 10 tips on how to live your life:
Functional Foods Give A Boost to Your Wellness By blogWhat we eat plays a key role in keeping us healthy and protecting from major diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. Researchers are studying how certain foods can help enhance health and prevent illness.
6 Steps To Creating Your Legacy By blogI was speaking at a ladies’ brunch last week, and my topic was “Creating Your Legacy,” which resonates with so many midlife women. It seems that, once we reach the empty-nest, career-burnout, suddenly-single stage in life, we begin to question how we can continue to leave our mark on the world aside from our legacies as moms, wives, career women and community volunteers. Too many believe that it’s all over, and their legacy is complete….to which I say “Not so!”
My Father’s Stay at God’s Hotel: A Slow-Medicine Approach to Healing Mental Illness By blogIt’s been a long journey to come to peace with my father’s life and how it has impacted my own. I was born on December 21, 1943 in New York City. My parents had tried to conceive for many years, but had been unsuccessful. They finally were successful when my father was 37 and my mother was 35 following a procedure where my father’s sperm was injected mother, a radical approach back then.
Do You See Others as They Are or As You Want Them to Be? By blogMental clarity is the ability to make distinctions between the false and the true, what appears to be real and what is illusory. Mental confusion, on the other hand, is often based on dishonesty: either you are not telling yourself the truth, or someone is not telling you the truth. And if you are not aware of or you deny your feelings, you are even more likely to be easily fooled. As an example, your longing for approval causes you to overlook the flaws in a person from whom you seek validation.
The Words We Use to Describe Mental Illness: How They Matter By blogWe hear the words often - words that imply that a person is a disease and the disease is a person. For example, we may say that someone is a diabetic or a hypertensive. But that's not right. The diabetes and the hypertension (high blood pressure) don't define the person. The person lives with or has diabetes or hypertension. Do you see the difference?
Doesn't Anyone Know What Dying Looks Like? By blogI live and work in the house of medicine. You would think that those of us who have chosen this profession would actually know what dying looks like. Furthermore, one would hope that if the doctor could identify dying, he or she could share this with the patient and family (given that this is fairly significant medical information!).I never cease to be amazed that most doctors cannot speak straightforwardly and compassionately about the reality of death and dying.
Beware of Energy Vampires By blogI was talking with a friend recently who was starting a new business, and she had hit a major roadblock. Although she knew she was following her life purpose, the critical comment of one “friend” had totally derailed her. All that she had accomplished toward reaching her new goals was set aside, as she was paralyzed by the way this friend had questioned her motives. This happened to me recently, so I know exactly how she felt. Have you had a similar experience? Has one person’s comments or actions taken your focus off of where you are headed?
Love and Words By blogI recently read a magazine article written by a woman who was reminiscing about a camping trip she went on during her senior year of high school. She thought of herself as plain, gangly, insecure girl with frizzy hair, so she was shocked one evening on that trip when a handsome boy stopped to chat.
Electronic Cigarettes: Not as Harmless as Some May Think By blogI'm not a proponent of electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes. While I concede that they may be the lesser of two evils, smoking a combustible cigarette or an e-cigarette, I still believe they are dangerous and should not be promoted.
Companion and Caregiver By blogThe words companion/caregiver are positive words for us who have parents. They are also sad words. They are not positive words for our parents. I know. My mother has a “companion,” she says! Not a caregiver. We dare not call Mimi a caregiver. My father had a caregiver.Below are tips I have learned that I want to share with you when you may have to look for a companion or caregiver for your own parents.
Cancer Survivors: Dealing With Guilt When Others Don't Live On By blogAt a dinner outing recently, I sat next to a young woman who had just been declared by her doctors to be in remission from her lymphoma. Over the course of the evening, we talked about many aspects of being a cancer survivor.We joked about her hair growing back curly when it had always been straight. We talked about chemotherapy and feeling horrible. She mentioned the tension of waiting for the next time she would have tests, and the continued status of remission. When I asked her what the hardest part was about being a cancer survivor, she said survival skills.
Rest Well By blogAre you resting well?Recently, our pastor began an 18-month journey through Genesis, and on week two, discussed the concept of “resting well.” He pointed out that, from the beginning of time, rest was built in to creation. God formed the heavens and the earth, all the vegetation and animals, and finally man and woman. Then He rested.Do you get it? Even GOD rested! He didn’t work 24/7, even though He certainly had the power and limitless energy to do so. He designated an entire day for rest and enjoyment, to appreciate everything He had done. So should we.
Excellent Advice from Maya Angelou By blog“Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option.” – Maya AngelouNow there’s something I wish I had known at 18, instead of waiting until I was in my 40s!I know I made far too many others priorities throughout my life, when they only saw me as one of many options. This came from my unfortunate habit of not valuing myself fully. Get some self-respect early on. Don’t wait.
Life in a Sandwich By blogAbout a third of all Alzheimer’s and dementia patient caregivers are living their lives “sandwiched” between caring for their loved one and raising their own children or grandchildren. With women often having their children later, and with so many young adults moving back into the nest, more families are finding themselves dealing with multi-generational caregiving challenges.
Are You Sitting or Splashing? By blogThis week I spoke at the conference for Women of Splendor, a national network for spiritually-minded entrepreneurs. The theme of the event was “Splash Your Splendor.” As I was preparing my presentation, I thought of how most of us spend too much time in the shallow water, dipping our toes in where it is safe, instead of diving in to the deep waters to explore the vast ocean of possibilities that awaits us. Yes, the beach is nice for a rest, but it can become rather ho-hum after a while.