With a Full Heart

Last night, as people started posting Mother’s Day tributes, I was struck, as I always am, by how many of us have lost our moms. Some relatively recently and some, like me, so long ago. In fact, I realized, my mom has been gone from my life nearly twice as long as she was with…

Sitting in an airport waiting area, wondering why a flight scheduled for just before 7 a.m. on a Sunday morning could possibly be delayed by an hour by air traffic. I mean, seriously? But, as we know all too well when it comes to flying, we are, as I often say, no more than prisoner…

If you are not a pet person, not a dog or cat person, you may not understand the role that these fur babies play in other people’s lives. I didn’t for a long time. As a young child, pets were limited to goldfish. Time and again, my brother and I, with the best of intentions,…

An interesting question posed this week, in a room full of professional colleagues, as we were asked to reflect upon these words, “When was the last time you cried in front of someone else?” And then we were asked to share that answer with others. It’s a question that clearly triggers a lot for people,…

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…