A journey through midlife with less stress and more joy
Originally posted on Almost Gracefully:
My mind has a mind of its own. It’s good to know I’m not alone in this. Apparently it’s been a common struggle throughout the ages, so we can’t even blame cell phones and video games for our gnat-sized attention spans. In the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, an ancient text…
Spring is in the air. It’s also blanketing every surface of the landscape in a powdery yellow coat of reproductive glory. Pollen is its own season down here. Allergy symptoms aside, what’s not to love about spring? The sun sticks around a little longer at the end of the day, new life is everywhere, and […]
Read More
Twelve years ago on Valentine’s Day, a little green parrot with a blue head and bright eyes emerged from his shell into the great, wide world. Three months later, an unsuspecting woman (me) wandered into a bird shop and walked out with him. The decibel level in my house has never been the same. Posing […]
Read More
“Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.” Max Ehrmann, Desiderata I have a confession to make: my backside and my sofa have been practically inseparable for the past month or so. I should feel guilty about my sloth-like ways. Everywhere I look, I’m bombarded with well-meaning messages encouraging me to lace up my sneakers […]
Read More
“If I’d known then what I know now…” Almost everyone The month of January was named for the ancient Roman god, Janus. Depicted with two faces – one looking forward and one looking behind – Janus is the god of beginnings and transitions. Perfect choice. During this month, we all become a little like Janus […]
Read More
“I was 50 years old before I learned that ‘No’ is a complete sentence.” Miss Lillie For the first time in my adult life, I didn’t decorate for Christmas. No tree, no lights, no wreaths or poinsettias or candles. What’s more, I didn’t wrap a single gift, a normally enjoyable task that involves a couple […]
Read More
This photo is me with my wonderful Aunt Rose at the 2007 Irish-Italian parade in New Orleans, a day that will forever live in my memory as one of the very most fun times ever. I’ll tell you about it one day. Aunt Rose was my godmother and my father’s younger sister. She passed away […]
Read More
Have you found yourself despairing over the stories you read in the news lately? I’m thinking at the moment about the violence and tragedy in Charlottesville, Virginia last month, the controversy over Civil War monuments, and the intensity around the NFL players’ protests, but I could really talk about any number of other incidents that […]
Read More
This is Lacy Larue, my sweet little bichon frise. Don’t let the creampuff looks fool you. She’s all dog. Right now, Lacy is recovering from ACL surgery so she hasn’t been quite her animated self. How, you may ask, does a ten-pound cutie like Lacy wind up with a football injury? Our veterinarian thinks her […]
Read More
Yes, I admit it: I laughed out loud when I first saw this meme. I’m not sure what made me laugh, whether it’s the Boston’s almost human expression of disdain or the feeling that this dog has been spying on my morning weigh-ins. As much as I’d like to blame the indulgence of the holiday […]
Read More