“You’ve gotta stand for something, Christine,” my oldest sister advised me when I was in my thirties. But I wasn’t ready yet to stick my neck out that far. I thought maybe I could make a difference by laying low, keeping cool and making friends…with […]
Passion. It’s the fuel to life’s engine. Without it we wander aimlessly and without purpose. My best friend alternately uses the word “passionate” and “intense” to describe her experience when she’s with me. It’s genetic, I think. After all, I’m the daughter of a woman […]
Taking leave of the familiar is frightening because, let’s face it, we are creatures of habit. Routine gives us structure, which gives us meaning and a sense of safety. So when we have to say goodbye to what we know to embark on what we […]
Yes. Oui. Si. Yes, we see. 2012 is nearing an end. And with endings come new beginnings. If you are reading this post, you survived the end of the world as the Mayans knew it. And maybe as you knew it too. The holidays bring […]
For six days I visited the other side of the sky. It was blue. It was warm. It was family. It was about time. In the past decade since I’ve lived in Germany, I have not seen my family around the holidays. But this year […]
Today is tomorrow’s memory. But because we never can be certain that tomorrow will ever come, it is better to make the best of now. My aunt subscribes to the “use your best every day” rule. She insists on using silver and china for the […]
The green lampshade with plastic pearls that your Aunt Bertha gave you ten Christmases ago is still sitting in the corner of your basement collecting dust. You didn’t have the courage to pass it on to someone who might treasure it more than you. Or […]
Three minutes of CNN cured me for life. The American reporter stood with her microphone amongst the busy shoppers, reporting for the thirteenth hour in a marathon run for the best deals in town. The day after Thanksgiving, also known as Black Friday in the […]
A soulmate is that special person that matches your sensibilities like a carbon copy of yourself. If you are fortunate, you might have several in your lifetime. I am blessed to have several soulmate friends who possess a knowing beyond words. They are the kind […]