Where I'm published
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On treehouses, beaches, and spring break
“Is there a place you can go to break away for a little while? If you haven’t yet built your tree house, it’s never too late to start.” ~Gina Greenlee Whether you opt for a vacation on the beach or a quick escape to a treehouse, you need a break from your daily routines. Especially this time of year. Even if you don’t have a treehouse or time for a long vacation, you can build a quiet place in your mind and “ink in” some free hours on your calendar. Go out for dinner without checking your damned phone. Take a break from social media. Let the chores chill for another…
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How to Know a Person
“Being open-hearted is a prerequisite for being a full, kind, and wise human being. But it is not enough. People need social skills.” ~David Brooks As author David Brooks sees it, so much of our current national angst results from the “fraying of our social fabric.” Put simply, we’ve forgotten how to talk with each other. We’ve forgotten how to listen to each other. At the same time, too many of us feel unseen and misunderstood. Worse yet, mental health statistics show that we’re feeling lonelier than ever. Social media may have given us more connections — and nearly unlimited access to others — but the quality of those relationships…
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Puppy love
“Dogs never bite me. Just humans.” ~Marilyn Monroe As long as we’re celebrating the month of love, we can’t overlook our wonderful four-legged friends. If you’re anything like me, you consider your dogs and cats as part of your family — and adore them just as much. (As my friends will tell you, you’d better not come to my house if you don’t enjoy animals.) Pet ownership provides companionship and well-documented health benefits, as I discovered after adopting our beautiful Coco, shown above, from a local animal shelter. That’s the topic of my newest column in the February issue of Vitality and online in The Oakland Press. If you live…
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Traveling light
“If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness and fears.” ~Cesare Pavese Most of us have acquired a lot of stuff that weighs us down. Instead of making a list of resolutions this year, I’m taking inventory of the metaphorical baggage I need to dump at the curb, including unproductive worry and old routines. That’s the topic of my newest column in this month’s Vitality, a magazine supplement to The Oakland Press. Read it online here, or, if you live in metro Detroit, pick up a free print edition at your local library or community center.*
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Goodwill and gratitude, all year long
“Be grateful for what you have and stop complaining. It bores everybody else, does you no good, and doesn’t solve any problems.” ~Zig Ziglar Peace on earth, goodwill to all. Lately I’ve been wondering why these sentiments are limited to specific dates on the calendar. Last month, for instance, we all counted our blessings before slicing the Thanksgiving turkey, but resumed the habit of complaining about everything from corrupt politics to lousy football teams as soon as the good china was cleared from the table. As Christmas approaches, our hearts soften again. We mail greeting cards declaring our hope for humanity and the belief that goodness will triumph over evil. We…
