Some days, “goodness” is defined more simply. A break in the weather. Errands completed with relative ease. My son has a good day at school and responds by my 4th nagging request to get off the computer. My husband returns from his 12-hour day energized and fatigued, rather than exhausted and depleted. I manage to […]
Archive for the ‘Relationships’ Category
Definition of a Good Day: My Father Didn’t Die and I Didn’t Kill my Mother
Posted in Acceptance, Aging, Anger, Daughters, Death/Loss/Grief, Fathers, Fear, Friendship, Meditation, Writing on January 30, 2014 | 2 Comments »
From Generation to Generation
Posted in Adolescents/Teenagers, Anger, Growing up, Parenting on January 19, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
We hand things down, we humans. Genes, mannerisms, susceptibility to illness and disease, perhaps a family heirloom, perhaps a bit of an estate, perhaps the clutter of accumulated objects. Lessons. Heritage can be visible or hidden; gifts intentional or not; narratives oft-told or silent. It doesn’t matter what we believe we do; we hand just […]
(Sometimes) I’m a better wife when my husband’s not around
Posted in Marriage, The Genders, Wives on January 5, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
I can think of all the right things to say, all the kind, compassionate ways to acknowledge, “Yes, Darling, I know you’re in pain.” I can be open to feedback and receptive to his points of view, which are galaxies away from mine. I can grant that these points of view are valid. I am […]
“I don’t mean to offend, but I’ve read that people your age are really stressed.”
Posted in College, Emotions/Inner World, Growing up, Parenting, Stress on December 3, 2013 | Leave a Comment »
The trio at the table next to me at the pub were of indeterminate but comparable youth. At least they seemed so to me. Until one woman recounted a litany of physical complaints and ailments that the doctor kept telling her were stress-related. She just needed to relax. Go home for Thanksgiving, she was told. […]
Writing Assignment II
Posted in Poetry, Relationships on November 17, 2013 | 2 Comments »
I’ve given myself a writing assignment: Write a poem. I argue with even this teacher’s assignment. An inane argument, a stall, I suppose, but my resistance demands its voice. I ask: What is a poem these days? Prose with more line breaks? Ideas uncoupled? Half-written thoughts that trail off? Descriptions that lead […]