My birthday is coming up this month. I have a friend who celebrates her birthday for the entire month! Not me. For me, it’s more like, “Oh yeah… my birthday’s this month.” No big countdown. No confetti. No birthday week. Definitely no birthday month. But when I was a child? That was a completely different […]

Sometimes a thought pops into my head and just… stays there. Like a tiny uninvited houseguest that refuses to leave until I figure it out. This one came courtesy of Father’s Day — and all the great dads I know. The question that wouldn’t quit? What makes a real man? As a teenager, my answer […]

So… it’s decision time. My 50th high school reunion is this year, and the invitation arrived. Fifty years. Honestly, I’m still trying to recover from hearing that number out loud. As I started stepping back in time in my mind, I thought about my high school self. I definitely did NOT have the three P’s. […]

There are many things in life I try to avoid. Pain is very high on that list… somewhere between doing taxes and cleaning out the refrigerator. I do not like pain. But really… who does? Even though I’m not usually a “take a pill to fix it” type of person (diet and exercise is my […]

Last month, my husband and I escaped the Northeast in the middle of a snowstorm—one of those “why do we live here again?” kind of storms—and boarded a cruise to the Bahamas.  Some sun. A bit more warmth. No shovels. We already felt victorious. Now here’s the twist: on a whim, I placed a little […]

As we say goodbye to 2025 and hello to 2026, we also say hello to something else—our hopes for the new year.Otherwise known as New Year’s resolutions… those well-intentioned promises we make while holding a cup of coffee (or something stronger) and thinking, This year will be different. I usually start the new year full […]

I’ve been thinking a lot about the human touch lately—especially hand-holding.There are so many reasons we reach for someone’s hand. When I was little, my big sister and I held hands constantly—part safety, part comfort, and part, “I’ve got you and you’ve got me.” Even without words, that was our promise to each other. Two […]

Last week I took a little tumble at home — knocked myself out, broke a few bones, and earned myself a dreaded trip to the ER. After a blur of tests and scans, the doctors found a brain injury and decided to send me to another hospital that could “handle it.” I didn’t know exactly […]

Have you ever seen a child throw a temper tantrum? Chances are, yes—more than once! It usually happens over something the child wants but doesn’t get. “But I want it!” the child shrieks, while the parent calmly insists, “You don’t need it.” Children have trouble understanding the difference between a want and a need. To […]

I love to garden. It definitely grounds me! There’s something about digging in the dirt, pulling weeds, and seeing the fruits of your labor—whether it’s flowers or veggies—that soothes my soul. But this year? My garden isn’t doing so hot. Some years are just like that. Too much rain, too much heat, too much cool […]