Growing older, wiser, happier, and a little more at peace – one woman’s journey through midlife
Originally posted on Almost Gracefully:
Once upon a time, there was a girl who prided herself on being prepared for every possible lousy outcome. She anticipated every pitfall, mentally conjuring every worst-case scenario. Having a vivid imagination and a pessimistic outlook, she positively excelled in the negative. This girl thought optimists were suckers because they’re…
This has been an extremely rough month for sensitive souls like me. At times, I’ve felt overwhelmed and helpless in the face of so much suffering: Terrified children separated from their immigrant parents at our southern border. The shocking suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain. Tragic stories about victims of the opioid crisis. And […]
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Bessie is 47 years old, and sadly, she is way past her prime. Sometimes she’s too hot, and at other times, she barely warms up at all. She’s unpredictable, unreliable, and frankly, she doesn’t look so great anymore, either. As much as I hate to do it, I’m going to have to replace her. This […]
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Originally posted on Almost Gracefully:
Sometimes not getting what you want is a great boon. It’s a cloudy winter afternoon in the waning days of 2016. I’m sitting comfortably on my sofa, reflecting on all the blessings in my life and thinking about how unexpected most of them are. I could tell you about all…
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 […]
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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 […]
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“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 […]
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“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 […]
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“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 […]
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