Tag: family
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Moments
I remember, as a child, coming to the realization that a moment would never happen again, that each experience in life was unique and non-repeatable. I am sure that followed the first losses I experienced, of my uncle and then my aunt about six months apart, when I was 10. My father was devastated at…
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You and Me
When my brother was alive, there were more than a few times that I called him and said, with great agitation, “Oh my God, I think I am turning into Dad!” This was no compliment to our father, believe me. It was me seeing Dad’s over-anxious, over-worrying, high strung qualities in both my thoughts and…
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What Defines Us
If you were asked to define yourself in a single paragraph, what would you say? How would you distill the essence of who you are into a few sentences? This paragraph needs to be more than the simple declarative sentences that begin with “I am,” rather it is a look deeper at what made you…
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Another Day
It was my birthday this week, although I admit it might be hard to know which day it was exactly. I like to turn my celebration into the entire month, blowing out as many candles as I possibly can! I feel the same way about family birthdays, why confine them to just one day a…
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In Myself I Trust
We read a lot and talk a lot about self care. We all know that paying attention to our minds, bodies and souls is important. We know about the importance of exercise and good nutrition and sleep. Whether we do it or not, we know about mindfulness and meditation, journaling and gratitude practices. But there’s…
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Motherless Child
For a long time, the words of the old song “Sometimes I feel like a motherless child” would play on repeat inside my head. At 25, I was quite certain that everyone else still had their mother, that I was the only person who was living with an enormous Mom-sized hole in their life. I…
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Vices
I would hazard a guess that we all have vices. Maybe there are some who think themselves without or above, but, if we really look at ourselves honestly, we have behaviors and choices that we identify as our weaknesses. At least I know that I do. My beloved husband would say that I have one…
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Mastering Illusion
Someone I met recently, and know but not well, said an interesting thing to me. She said that she thought I had truly mastered the art of mindfulness and calm. She attributed that to my yoga teaching and her perception was echoed by another person present for the conversation. I thanked her and smiled and…
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Cleaning Up
A friend of mine often used to say “Clean up your house, clean up your life.” What she meant was that, when things feel out of control, do something you can control, do something that will leave you with a sense of accomplishment. I find that days when I clean out closets, fill bags to…
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Of Love and Memory
My kitchen is filled with the sights and smells of preparation for the Passover holidays. There is a list on my counter of the menu I plan to serve for Seder and a day by day checklist of what needs to be done each day from now until the holiday. Of course, I am well…
