Events & news
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Traditions to count on
“Traditions underscore our relationship to a greater whole. Then, instead of being isolated in time and space, we’re engaged with our clan or community, even with humanity as a whole….Once an activity achieves tradition status, it’s dependable. You can count on it. In a world of diminishing dependability, this is precious indeed.” ~Victoria Moran, Younger by the Day There’s comfort in having rituals and traditions, small or large. It doesn’t matter which holiday we’re talking about — it’s the special activities you count on that make it a celebration. Every year in the fall, for instance, I look forward to hosting a Halloween costume party for a group of neighborhood…
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It’s time for a break
“Research shows that we need to take a break and decompress so we can be our best at work—and at home. Maybe we should ask if the life we’re working so hard to create is fun to live? ~ Tina Hallis, Sharpen Your Positive Edge I’ll be taking a break to refuel for a few days. In the meantime, there’s plenty to explore on the “Life Lines” home page. To catch up on earlier posts and other content you’ve missed, please click here. If you’re reading the compact version of “Life Lines” on your phone, please note that there are several other features that only show on a laptop or…
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Truth-seeking
“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” ~Thomas Jefferson Deep down, most of us know the difference between right and wrong, truth and lies. Yet in today’s political culture, too many folks in power don’t respect the truth. Worse yet, their followers don’t seem to mind, listening only to what they want to hear. Here’s a true thing: It takes time and willpower to research the facts, examine all sides of an issue, set aside your own biases, and consider the consequences of all potential outcomes. Thinking for yourself is hard work. At the end of the day, though, you can rest knowing you’ve tried your best…
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I’m on the radio tonight
I never know which posts or column links will hit home when I hit “Publish.” So I’m always surprised and happy to hear from readers who follow this blog. Earlier this week, I received an email from radio personality Marie Osborne, who is guest-hosting the Mitch Album Show on WJR (AM 760 on the dial) with Steve Courtney. Marie read my recent Oakland Press column about family heirlooms and why millennials don’t want to inherit them. The topic resonated with her and she invited me to discuss the topic on her show. I’m honored to be asked — and looking forward to it. Tune in to WJR this evening at…
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Inspired gardening
“A garden should make you feel you’ve entered privileged space — a place not just set apart but reverberant — and it seems to me that, to achieve this, the gardener must put some kind of twist on the existing landscape, turn its prose into something nearer poetry.” ~Michael Pollan, Second Nature: A Gardener’s Education Gardening is one of the healthiest ways to express our creativity. It’s a great way to absorb Vitamin D while plotting borders or containers of colorful blooms, plunging our hands in water and soil, and inhaling the deep-green aromas of rosemary, thyme, and basil. I owe my mother a bucket of gratitude for inspiring my passion…