My love affair with orchids began the day I received my first phaleonopsis from my brother-in-law, David, a flower grower who just last week passed away at the young age of 62. I miss him so much and will never forget our encounter over orchids. He kissed me on the…

My father was a Holocaust survivor, and every day of his life he expressed gratitude, so at an early age I, too, learned to be grateful. This is probably one of the reasons why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. Its focus is on gathering together with loved ones for food and…

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I am a three-time cancer survivor. Twice as a breast cancer survivor and third as a survivor of multiple myeloma, a rare form of blood cancer, which I’m currently dealing with and since there’s no cure for this cancer, I will…

I am numb. I am stuck. I am sad. I am worried. For nearly six decades, writing has been my happy place; whenever I am challenged by life’s obstacles, I turn to writing. Through a troubled adolescence, bedrest during three pregnancies, raising a family…

This past month I entered into my seventh decade and realized that some of the passions of my youth might be shifting or taking another form. I’m a little burnt out with writing and would love to try something new, but I’m not sure what that is…

Poetry is the voice of the soul, and poets help us see a slice of the world in a way we might not have previously observed. Poets highlight details to cast light on feelings, images, or events. Poetry helps offer insight into both the human psyche…

The beginning of a new year is a good time to reflect on not only the memories of the year prior, but the accumulation of memories that define who we are. Certain milestones, natural and manmade disasters, joys, triumphs, and crises are all considered…

By the time we arrive in our seventh decade, most of us have lost a number of loved ones. Some of those individuals might have been ancestors who were mentors, or those who changed our lives in some way. Ancestors can also be places…

In 2001, when I was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), an early form of breast cancer, everything was going well in my life. I was 47 years old and had three wonderful children, ages 12, 16, and 18. Happily married, my husband…

Eleven years ago, at the age of 58, I returned to school for my PhD in transpersonal psychology. As a healer and writer, I thought that my research would be a perfect fit for my life path. In addition to wanting to do research and write books and articles…