Featured
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Revisiting Walden
“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” ~Henry David Thoreau, Walden Henry David Thoreau’s Walden tops my list of life-changing literature. It didn’t grab me the first time around. But after reading it a second time — when I was ready for it — I understood everything Thoreau was trying to tell me. Not only was I inspired to learn more about this eccentric man who revered nature and treasured solitude; I was also challenged to keep moving “in the direction of my dreams” — even when…
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Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: “Uncovering Serenity”
My love affair with Japanese gardens began many years ago when I was a student at Cranbrook Summer Theater School in Bloomfield Hills. Later, when I had a home of my own, I created a small Japanese garden in a corner of our back yard. When the editor of Michigan Blue asked me to write a feature story about the newly installed Japanese Garden at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I jumped at the chance. This magnificent eight-acre landscape is a work of art — and well worth a visit. You can read my feature here, in the “Travel & Adventure” issue of Michigan…
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The dog who rescued me
“Dogs have the ability to forgive, let go of the past, and live each day joyously. It’s something the rest of us strive for.” ~Jennifer Skiff, The Divinity of Dogs While many of my newly retired peers are hitting the road in search of new adventures, I’ve been sticking closer to home, enjoying life as a late-blooming dog owner. This still comes as a surprise to longtime friends who’ve always pegged me as “a cat person.” But current research shows that dog ownership can add a few more healthy years to our lives. Click here to read my essay in Metro Parent’s Guide to Helping Your Aging Parents.
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How to be an original
“Do your own thing. Let others own their own thing. If you copy too much, you’ll find yourself in late night cocktail lounge cover band limbo.” ~Kurt Cobain Hasn’t it all been done before? Is there any such thing as a truly original idea? Contrary to the old maxim, imitation isn’t the highest form of flattery. It’s a creative cop out. My essay on the challenge of finding your own voice and style is featured this week on the National Society of Newspaper Columnists website. You can read it here. Photo by Cindy La Ferle
