Tag: health

I used to make my family very nervous. (Let’s be honest, I probably still do.)

I’d walk in the room and declare, “I’m going to win the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes!” Then for about two weeks I’d carry on and speak as if it were already a done deal.

It never was a done deal. I never ... Read More


What would your nine-year-old self think of you right now? Would the younger you be in awe that you even made it to __ years old? Would that youthful being say, “Way to go!” or “What the heck were you thinking?”

I know one thing: whether we are hitting life on the mark or need to readjust our aim, our younger ... Read More


How in tune are you with what’s happening around you? Do you walk into the grocery store while texting on your phone? (I’m guilty.)

When you walk out of that store, would you be able to tell someone the color of the cashier’s eyes? (‘Fraid not.) Or even their shirt color? (Maybe.)

Sometimes my mind is so full of what needs to ... Read More


New friends, old friends — sometimes, we just need a friend.

This past May, on my 45th birthday, I got a text from a high school friend. We keep up with each other’s families on Facebook, but that’s about it. Still, when we do talk, it’s like there has been no passage of time.

Along with the text, this friend sent me ... Read More


I went to visit my father recently. He had a stroke about 9 months ago and is now a permanent resident in an assisted living facility. He hasn’t yet regained the use of the right side of his body, so he relies heavily on my step-mom and his nurses to tend to his every need.

Every several months I have the ... Read More


My niece called me from college last night. She’s a freshman and wanted to Facetime to show me her new dorm. She is beyond excited, but I wasn’t shocked when she admitted there were some tears as she moved into her new home. Kate called them happy tears. “I’m just so excited, Aunt Nicki!”

She should be. She’s doing something ... Read More