I happened to be in my car when President Obama announced that Merrick Garland was his nominee to the Supreme Court. Purely by coincidence I heard Garland’s acceptance speech which tells the immigration story of his family as well as explains how his parents instilled values in him and his sisters. Setting politics aside, the […]
Life Lessons
The Imaginary Finish Line
I know lots of people, myself included, who like being able to check things off lists. It’s not surprising that we like to get things done. Getting things done, reaching the finish line, brings a sense of satisfaction, closure, and completion. It also allows us to move on to new projects and to clear up […]
The Automatic Self
I’m starting to think that February is a month that brings with it a certain amount of unavoidable stress. There are a couple of contributing factors. First, we’re all sick of winter. Next, though February isn’t particularly busy, the spring ushers in a time of busy-ness for just about all of us. So we […]
My cup overflows
For most of my life I’ve considered myself a “cup’s 1/2 full” sort of person. That’s because I’ve long believed (and told anyone that cared to listen) that optimism IS realism. The world is just too darn fabulous to allow for any other correlation. But I’m not a “cup’s 1/2 full” sort of person anymore. […]
You might say…
You might say… “I have nothing to say.” Or, “I have something to say but I’m unwilling to say it.” Or, “I have something to say but I don’t know how.” Or, “I’m not sure how it will sound.” Or, “It won’t make any sense.” Or, “If I say it, someone might think less, more, or […]
When things change
When someone we know experiences a difficult or unwanted life change many of us find ourselves not knowing what to say or how to be around that person. It could be a co-worker, friend, fellow parent, or even a family member. Are we allowed to say, “How are you?” Or, “What’s new?” Is it tacky […]