Gratitude and guilt are emotional enemies. So are joy and jealousy. These emotional enemies make playing the game of life difficult to enjoy. They are competitors of one another. These conflicting feelings show up when people who know each other want the same thing, but only one receives it. Take friends applying for the same…
Life hits you when you least expect it to. Holding it all together during those times is challenging. When emotional challenges overwhelm me, I’m learning to give myself permission to be human. Easier said than done, for sure. Being human means having unwanted emotions and not knowing what to do with them. Sometimes so many…
The delayed flight from Denver to Boston made all the passengers impatient for take-off. Everyone, including the pilot, was anxious to get in the air and arrive at the destination somewhat on time. There were complaints about insufficient space to put carry-on luggage, confusion with reservations, and seat assignments. The usual bitching that goes along…
New cars come with lots of bells and whistles. Drivers have options to put more and more control in the vehicle itself. Cameras and sensors aid in parking and changing lanes. With the press of a button, cruise control monitors your speed, and can now apply the brakes. As the driver, trusting it is scary.…
Patience and acceptance are lessons I thought I’d learned. Life doesn’t seem to agree with me. That or I need more practice. Situations involving both virtues keep entering my life. Accepting what life gives me is easy when I get what I want. When something happens that I don’t desire, patience and acceptance are more…
Walking passed an elementary school the other day, I overheard part of a conversation between two young girls. Matter of factly, the first girl said, “I’m not a kid anymore. My childhood is over.” To which her friend replied, “No, it’s not! You still have three more years!” I’m guessing the girls were wrapping up…
Do you see the dog howling? Or the snail head? Does something else catch your attention? Cloud formations are fascinating. Depending on a person’s imagination, the fluffy white puffs against a blue backdrop can vastly differ from person to person. Our imaginations make connections and give life to shapes in the clouds. What is obvious…
There is a song from the late 1980s by David Wilcox called “Leave It Like It Is.” https://www.google.com/search?q=leave+it+like+it+is+lyrics&rlzThe song is about a jar of blue paint that falls off a kitchen table and breaks. In the splattered mess, the homeowner sees beauty. Instead of cleaning up the spill, the paint is left to dry. What…
There are only two options to a couple things in life. Size and age are topics that fall into this logic. Over time our body shapes change, but there remain only two options, our clothes fit or they don’t. Same thing goes for age you’re either dead or alive. When making the most of life…
Lucy the Golden Doodle puppy, and Twix the rescue kitten are the newest additions to my brother’s family. At first glance one might think them to be unlikely companions. In reality, they’re best buddies. Their jest and banter, acceptance and affection for one another are examples from which humans could benefit. No one taught them…