The Silver Lining

Resolutions Everybody talks about making New Year’s Resolutions.  We all want to lose 10 pounds, or try to correct some personality trait we are struggling with, or we want to let go of some issue that is draped around our neck like an albatross. Sometimes we actually KEEP a resolution for more than a week or so.  And some folks resolve to NOT MAKE any resolutions!! Last year, for Christmas my husband gave me a copy of Rosie Molinary’s book “Beautiful You – A Daily Guide to Radical Self-Acceptance.” (Check it out at http://rosiemolinary.com/beautiful-you/)   I’ve long wrestled with issues of self-esteem and self-worth; this little book has the reader focus more on self-awareness and creativity to help shore up self-confidence.  I followed it diligently for about two months.  Then life stepped in; our lives took a shift as we took on a care-giving role for David’s mom.  In the rush and re-structuring of our routines, my resolve crum...

Early morning – well, at least it is after midnight. I get up, pull on a jacket, scuff my feet into slippers. I make a cup of tea. The steam tickles my face as I take the first sip. Gazing out the back door, I am entranced by the serenity of the lake in the moonlight. I turn the key gently until the quiet click lets me know that I can open the door, and I step outside into the peacefulness. I shiver in the chilly night air. I pull my jacket tighter around my body, crisscrossing it over me in a hug. I realize I’m grateful to feel the coolness, I’m grateful to feel the warmth and security of my jacket, I’m grateful to feel. A car slows, I hear a gentle slap as the newspaper hits the pavement. I look at the clock, it’s 3:35. Right on time. I walk out in the darkness, barely able to see the packet lying on the driveway. Picking it up, I go back to the deck. I place the paper on the table; I’ll read it, later. Every porch needs a rocking chair. I settle ...

The Dance (written Dec. 14, 2011 on board “Liberty of the Seas”) Sometimes, standing on the sidelines offers me an amazing opportunity to observe life’s beautiful treasures. I had such an opportunity this evening. My 83-year-old mother-in-law Bootsie accompanied us on a cruise. While she wasn’t able to get out and about much on the ports of call, we all enjoyed our time together on the ship. The aches and pains that go along with getting older seem to plague her more and more these days, but she was able to enjoy many of the offerings on the ship. We feasted our final night in the formal dining room. Just outside the dining room was a small bar. After dinner, a band was playing. We stood for a few moments, listening to the salsa beat. (In their younger days, David told me, his parents danced. One of his most treasured memories is watching them dance together. He smiles every time he tells me that story.) As we listened to the music, I watched Bootsie s...