As festive as the holiday season is, it can be stressful for many. Amid the merriment, other emotions may be lurking. For those who have perfect relations with all of their family, I tip my hat to you. Mine was not always so. My biological father was a challenge for me. He epitomized the opposite of what a good father was. He drank to excess, was untrustworthy, and, at times,…
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Happiness is an internal choice not an external condition ~ Joshua Rappaport The topic: successful relationships have reigned at the top of search engines for decades. Everyone wants to know how to make them work. On the lookout for the je ne sais quoi, when we finally meet that ‘right’ person who has it all, we settle down and live happily ever after. Right? Wrong. Statistically, over 50% of marriages…
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Typically, I allow death to visit my older pets in its own time; the process is usually peaceful with a helping hand of patience. It takes a few days for the body to shut down, and during that time, I sit and be with my beloved friend. My cat, Cloudy’s case, is different. She has bone cancer, and it is eating her. I’ve had no experience with cancer, and I…
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It’s 2 AM, and I cannot sleep. Not too unusual for me. Reasons for my erratic sleep pattern include a sick cat, two Doberman Pinchers who prefer my bed to theirs, and having an open ear for my horses. However, there is another reason this morning; a wildfire is lurking. Those of us who weathered last year’s fire are feeling the stress of the what if’s a fire can bring.…
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Driving away from the Veterinarian yielded the exact results I knew in my heart: my beloved cat Cloudy had bone cancer in her jaw. At 20 yrs she has lived a whole and happy life, so hearing the news was bittersweet. All of us who have four-legged companions dread the day they will depart; some people refuse to endure the heartache of the loss again; I, on the other hand,…
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That she bear children is not a woman’s significance. But that she bear herself, that is her supreme and risky fate.” ~ D.H. Lawrence I was not the woman who went starry-eyed when I saw a baby. However, I always thought I would be a fantastic mother. My maternal and caretaking instincts were honed. The comment “You’ll be a great mom” was shared amongst friends, and in my mind,…
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The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at this moment. That’s all there ever is. ~Alan Watts In the ’80s, I lived in NYC and worked in the fashion industry at a high-pressure job. I was overworked, unhappily married, and in need of an escape. I had found myself living a life that did not resonate with my true…
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Men, this is for you and to all of the women who care about you. While men are keeping in step with their evolution becoming more sensitive and spiritual, there is an insurgence of women empowerment rising in society. Men are being challenged, many are feeling out of sorts, misplaced and frustrated. We have found equality in the workplace and chores are no longer gender-specific. Men are staying home caring…
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”A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men.” ~gloria steinem The strength of a woman comes in many forms. Women have been entering the workforce for decades now with their power suits and “I can elbow my way into a man’s world” attitude. We have succeeded in acquiring the CEO, CFO, and COO statuses. By doing so, we have become more challenging and…
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Women over 50 have been talking about the feeling of invisibility for years. Most women have felt it—some more than others. What are the connotations and ramifications of the label of invisibility? Becoming invisible happens slowly; we don’t suddenly disappear; it is a gradual fading, almost invisible. So except for the feeling that something is changing, we barely realize it is happening. Then one day, we realize we are irrelevant…
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