With a Full Heart

Values—we all have them, we can probably name and claim the ones we hold dear. But when asked to take part in a values exercise, and determine which three of the ones presented are most likely you, it requires a deeper look inside. Which qualities best express who I am, what resonates with me and…

Did you ever look for something in your closet, or your drawers, that you knew you had but could not find? And, while you are hunting for it, find things you forgot you had or, even, forgot you bought? I, for good or for ill, do this on a regular basis. My husband would tell…

I have, for a long time, lived by, and shared, some fundamental truths. Some of them sound silly to others, like my rule for eating when standing at a party. That one is “eat the color you’re wearing,” which is shorthand for remembering that whatever you’re eating might end up on you. And, if you…

We all have dates that serve as landmarks in our lives. Some of them are, of course, personal, while others are more widely shared, based on events. Those are the moments when someone might ask “Where were you when?” That list includes everything from the Challenger disaster to 9/11 and more, all shared experiences that…

When I think about my mother, and I am thinking about her especially today as it is her birthday, the word that always comes to mind for me is centered. It was not that she didn’t have, or express, a full range of emotions but more that she always radiated a sense of inner peace.…

It is, I suppose, a coping mechanism we all share. We believe that life is stable, we expect that tomorrow will be like today and yesterday, we lull ourselves into that dangerous state of taking things for granted. We all have moments, or periods of time, when we wonder what will happen next, when we…

Let me start out by speaking a truth—I love gifts, I love to buy them and I love to receive them. I select and give presents with sincerity and attention and I open packages with the enthusiasm of an energetic five-year-old. I have the blessing of being married to a man who is not only…

My dad and my brother would each have had a milestone birthday this month. Dad would have had a milestone over 100 and Norm would have hit a milestone right around retirement age. And only I am here to know that. How strange that feels. My dad was 48 when our parents married, 49 when…

There are so many times when anger and fear take the lead in our reaction to things. Both big picture, world events and things much more personal and closer to home, can trigger these emotions. We can find ourselves wishing ill towards others, we can find ourselves holding a hard knot of fury, so intense…