He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
Things I try to avoid -- public speaking, mingling at a work-related social gathering, introducing people to each another (when the name of your best friend of 30 years inexplicably flees from your brain). Team building, role-playing, and of course, karaoke. I admit it. I want an Easy Life. A fulfilling job with moderate stress.... Continue Reading →
"Being a mom can be so isolating," Margie shares. The heads of other fresh-faced moms are nodding. Then Christie, of older years, adds, "Just wait till they leave the nest. That's when you'll really feel isolated." Several women chuckle. Myself included. Whether you're overwhelmed by non-stop toddlers or transporting pre-teens to impossibly long swim meets... Continue Reading →
Brett is looking sharp in khakis and a button down shirt, his tie bearing Floridian brightness. My brother, Charles, and his wife, Jil, are also in country club attire. I have on a black dress - a safe choice. I'm wearing that pearl necklace Mom gave me. Nice touch. We are aggressively sipping white wine... Continue Reading →
In our younger years we imagine Big Things. Publishing a book - followed by a book tour. Securing promotions and sizable salaries. Becoming competent in a field with initials after our name. Alleviating poverty, improving literacy, advocating for the downtrodden. Magnificent marriages and perfect parenting -- our children "rising up and calling us blessed" (a... Continue Reading →
I was a chubby kid with too-short bangs (mom, what were you thinking?). I lived in the shadow of my center-stage brother who called me "B-Fink". Not a term of endearment I'm fairly certain. (I adore him now and we are very close.) School was not a place of refuge. I was a slow reader. ... Continue Reading →
My mother spoke with a British accent, though American born. She sipped gin and tonics, partied three times a week, picked at her food, shopped only at Saks, wore heels 24/7, and in her 90s arranged for a college professor to come to her living room to lecture on the Renaissance - so she could... Continue Reading →
I am an introvert. Shy from day one. An 8th grade report card said I was an "enigma" - which I had to look up (not a compliment). If class participation was factored into a grade, I was destined for C's. As functioning adults, we introverts don't have the option of being selectively mute. Our... Continue Reading →
Mine is the woulda-coulda-shoulda variety that blares its voice at 4AM, revisiting the previous day. And it's not congratulatory. You should have handled that conversation better. You should have spoken up at that meeting. Remember that Ben & Jerry's you devoured at 10pm? Your arm flab has a life of its own. (Your accommodating narrative provides... Continue Reading →
I am a fear-ridden flyer. I gaze out the window on high alert for birds (and now drones), other planes, dark clouds. I study the flight attendant's demeanor for signs of pending disaster. Is there relaxed banter? When they ask us to find the nearest exit, I'm counting rows and assessing the skill level of... Continue Reading →
A few admissions -- I buy Target jeans and shoes - knowing full well I will return them the following week. Why? There is a twinge of pleasure in the purchase. There's even some satisfaction in the refund - as if I have somehow made money. I am a manic jogger not for health benefits... Continue Reading →
"Hold this bar and step out onto the platform" the skydiving coach yells his instructions over the scream of the plane's engines and the whipping wind. I am basically brain-dead - terror and adrenaline in full control. Other parachuters stare at me also mute with terror, including my friend, Gina. I know what she's thinking. ... Continue Reading →
Sally and I take our doggies to Resurrection Nursing Home every Friday. The other day one resident kissed Dustin, Sally's black lab mix, full on the lips, exclaiming, "This is better than pills!" When I used to go to the nursing home by myself to pay a visit to my friend, Rita, confined to her... Continue Reading →
It seems there's now a Hallmark section devoted to women and wine. You've seen them. A Donna Reed type in pearls or a mom with a stroller -- either covertly drinking or clutching an urn like wine glass. I was recently given a pair of socks with the caption, "If you can read this, bring... Continue Reading →
Shadows and Shelters 