After my husband Tom died in 2007, I remember how quickly the world seemed to move on. There were flowers, cards, casseroles, hugs, and kind words from people who truly cared. I was grateful for every gesture. In those early days, love often arrived in practical forms – a meal, a note, a hand on my shoulder, someone sitting quietly beside me when there were no words…

You applaud your friend Mary Jane’s exuberance as she describes her delight with her new-found hobby, tap-dancing. OK, she’ll never be Fred Astaire, but she’s thrilled at what she and her fellow tap students, not a one under 60, are accomplishing. You listen appreciatively as your sister-in-law waxes enthusiastic over the writing class she’s joined. How wonderful…

The other morning, I found myself listening to a song I hadn’t heard in quite a while. It was “Monsters” by James Blunt. The first time I heard that song years ago, it hit me like a freight train. Something about the sadness in the lyrics, the emotion in his voice…

Have you ever met women whose scowls look so malevolent that rottweilers suddenly remember they had somewhere else to be? Even a rattlesnake would say, “Nope, not today,” and quietly slither away. What about that confident woman…

Have you ever noticed that as we get older, we tend to spend more time talking about what we’re losing instead of what we are gaining? The conversation often centers on wrinkles, retirement, slowing down, or staying relevant in a rapidly changing world. Everywhere we look, we’re encouraged to maintain our youth, preserve…

Remember when you were a little girl and pretended to be a princess? How did that feel? Perhaps confident, valued, visible, and more than enough. How would you describe it? Why don’t many of us feel like that now in our lives? Wouldn’t it be fun and inspiring to feel that way again? A friend recently…

The older I get, the more convinced I am that happiness is not limited to the big moments that read like a highlight reel. That may sound surprising coming from someone who writes about living vibrantly in a culture that celebrates achievements…

Poor Judgment’s been slandered, accused and maligned, As if using good sense were a terrible crime. “Don’t judge!” say some people. “Be spiritual instead!” Yet without a bit of judgment, we’d all bump our heads. We’d wander through life like a cart with no wheel, Or smile at a snake while ignoring how we feel…

According to an article in Forbes magazine, doodling isn’t always linear. It’s defined as an aimless sketch, design or scribble, often created while doing something else. Its appeal is that the result doesn’t have to be perfect or fit a certain ideal…

Somewhere along the way, I realized I had spent much of my life listening to everyone except myself. Parents. Teachers. Friends. Husbands. Society. Everyone seemed to have an opinion about how life should be lived and how I should fit in. What surprised…