It’s hard to write about New Year’s—so much has been written about this holiday.  Some years, pundits suggest that making resolutions is a good thing. But then the next year, we’re told that no, it’s a bad idea. Of course, like most adults, I’ve made scores of New Year’s resolutions. Some lasted one week, some persisted for several months, and a scant few have been helpful, launching me forward on a chosen path.

New Year’s Eve is an opportunity to dance, connect with friends and family, drink champagne at midnight (if you can stay up that late), and watch the ball float down on the... Read More

Before sunrise, the sky still dark, I start my walk around Greenlake. It’s quiet in the early morning, with just a few walkers or joggers. I love watching the sky grow lighter, slowly illuminating the trees and the shore of this urban green space. As dawn breaks, I hear the winter birds start their daily song.

This time of year, as I watch the sunrise, I’m sad. I think of my mother who passed away 5 years ago this winter. She had a heart attack right after the Christmas holiday and died two and a half months later. She was 92.

I spent many weeks with her at the end of her... Read More

Thanksgiving is knocking on our door, with Christmas just around the corner. Autumn is always a busy time for families. School and soccer start with a bang in September. I remember chauffeuring my kids to practice and games. I don’t miss standing out in the rain while they ran back and forth! Progress reports have arrived and sometimes that suggests a readjustment of activities and structure. It's all part of the autumn cycle.

The holidays offer a brief respite from this daily routine. They are a semi-colon in the middle of a long sentence. Thanksgiving and Christmas can create a... Read More

On these gray winter mornings, I like to walk around Green Lake and watch the sun rise. This time of year, I think about my mom’s brief illness and death four years ago, which quickly followed Christmas. It was both a sad and sweet time. I was able to help take care of her and comfort her during her final weeks. On my early morning walks I find myself recalling those last mornings, watching the sun rise from her Florida terrace, listening to the sounds of tropical birds, wondering if each day would be her last. I think about her often.

I miss her terribly.

While the holiday... Read More