-
When life is not a beach
“When we dwell on the positive, and feed our minds with beauty and goodness, we exude positivity and create favorable situations. It’s as simple as that.” ~Leona Sokolova Sometimes I’m the poster child for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I typically spend hours outdoors in the summer and fall months — working in the garden, sitting in the garden, walking the dog. Not surprisingly, I hibernate indoors and my mood plummets as soon as winter arrives. I understand why so many folks head south for the winter. But those of us who remain here in the north have to make our own sunshine. We have to brighten our own outlook, whether…
-
Catch up with me in The Oakland Press
My columns and features appear in The Oakland Press and several other daily newspapers in the MediaNews Group. My columns run online and in print editions, and you’ll also find them in the OP’s Vitality magazine, a monthly supplement to The Oakland Press (available on the second Thursday of every month). You’ll find an archive of my previous Oakland Press columns and feature stories online here. Readers in Oakland County (Michigan) can find free print editions of Vitality at many local libraries and community centers, including the Meininger Community Center (Royal Oak) and the Blair Memorial Library and Hunter Community Center (both in Clawson).
-
“Aging with Grace & Courage” discussion and journaling group
“When it comes to aging, women are held to a different standard than men. Some guy recently said to me: ‘Don’t you think you’re too old to sing rock ‘n’ roll?’ I said: ‘You’d better check with Mick Jagger.’ ” ~Cher Last year, I coached a journaling workshop that focused on aging topics such as facing retirement, finding new purpose, rebooting our social lives, maintaining optimism — and so much more. We also discussed the challenges and roadblocks we face in our senior years. (We’re never too old to rock ‘n’ roll, as Cher points out.) The workshop inspired a new spin-off program — an informal aging support group that…
-
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…
-
Anniversary musings
“When marrying, ask yourself this question: Do you believe that you will be able to converse well with this person into your old age? Everything else in marriage is transitory.” ~Friedrich Nietzsche Last month, Doug and I celebrated our 42nd anniversary. During a celebratory dinner at a local restaurant, our server asked us if we’d share the secrets of a long and happy partnership. She was living with her boyfriend, she said, and wasn’t sure about their future together. Doug and I assured her that the success of a marriage depends on the couple — and every couple is different, of course. For us, shared values and interests are essential,…
