Our first-born is a mellow cat. Even as a little kid, Zander helped us notice and take in what most humans pass by. Children nudge parents to adjust and adapt. Zander helped me bring my pulse down and let go of my feverish pace. » Read more
Until my mother died at ninety-three years old, she maintained a deep connection to God. She always had a serene look on her face on our way back to the car after church. For me, sitting through church and religion class made me feel naughty for swearing, fighting with my sister, being mean to peers and not paying attention during the service. » Read more
“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” — W.B. Yeats
There have been unexpected benefits of this collective pause in quarantine. Without question, living in rural New Hampshire makes it much easier to stay physically and emotionally healthy with regular access to nature and the outdoors. » Read more
It takes a Pandemic and about a week of quarantine to be reminded of the latent traits of family members. Bruce and I have been married for almost twenty-four years, and it turns out he is a full-on germophobe. As an innkeeper, he is vigilant in the kitchen; he has always required the servers to wash hands for twenty seconds, which he learned in his Safe Serve class years ago. » Read more
Having a lot of time on our hands is like a preview to what old age will be like. I have become my mother thirty years earlier than expected. I remember chuckling when my mom would be exhausted after a busy day of going through a pile of mail, reading the paper and replying to two emails. » Read more
I had the honor of hearing Brené Brown drop many wisdom bombs yesterday in her two presentations at the Massachusetts Conference for Women. Thanks, Anng Kenney for inviting me to join. Brené Brown is a bottomless pit of wisdom and perspective; I feel like I have been to human being training camp. » Read more
In April, I had the amazing opportunity to present at TEDxKemoreSquare. It was the proudest moment of my speaking career so far. The most challenging part was stretching my drifty old mind to remember sixteen minutes of material in order. » Read more
After reading Endurance and The Long Walk, I keep a running list of the people I would choose if I had to assemble a capable group with skills and character traits that could help us survive challenging circumstances. » Read more
John Girard was among the finest people I have known. I know I share this sentiment with many people. I had the honor of teaching at Marion Cross School for six years during John’s long career as a deeply respected teacher. » Read more
The most nerve-wracking, adventurous and beautiful drive of my life occurred in the middle of what was supposed to be a relaxing afternoon. I had hours to get from Billings, MT to Powell, WY for a speaking gig at Northwest College. » Read more