I recently had a conversation with my mom about lessons she would pass along if given the chance. We've had a couple of deep chats lately due, in most part, to my desperate need to soak in as much as I can while she is still with us. She is who I have always turned to and her wisdom, in my opinion, is boundless. She would disagree, of course, assuring me of her fallibility. My mother is not one to lecture or to claim superior knowledge or insight. And this is exactly why I, and many others, seek out her... More »

My kids and their cousins adore each other. If you told them that their moms are tired of the bickering, teasing, and fighting they would be shocked. They think it is a giant love-fest full of fun and laughter. I'm happy about this and I realize now to my utter surprise that it was probably like this when I was a kid hanging out with my cousins too. Luckily, I only have the fondest memories of our time together. My god, how did my parents stand it?! My sister and I have tried everything from threats and bribes to separation... More »

Have you ever craved a good cry? Just needed it? Ever get to the point where things are building up and you just need an outlet? And, for whatever reason you can't cry or won't or just don't, so you need to find a way to get those tears flowing to give you a bit of relief? I have often and recently even more often than usual. For those of you who don't know it, this is easily resolved. All you really need to do is find a girlfriend and a good tear-jerker movie. The rest will happen naturally.So the... More »