• Friendship and relationship advice,  Generosity

    Enough to share

    “Love is something that if you give it away, you end up having more.” ~Malvina Reynolds For years I’ve been fascinated by the “law of abundance,” which some might dismiss as one of those woo-woo New Age theories. I think there’s something to it. In a nutshell, the abundance theory suggests that if you live generously, acting on the belief that there’s always plenty to share, you’ll attract more goodness in your life. In other words, the more you give away — whether it’s love, money, time, or produce from your garden — the more you get back. Conversely, if you’re stingy or overly protective of your own resources, you’re…

  • Aging well,  Change,  Fred Rogers

    Beginnings

    “Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.” ~Fred Rogers On the drive from northern Michigan last week, I noticed a few maples showing blushes of red. And this week, the temperature in southeast Michigan is cooling down with the earlier sunsets. Sweater weather. As much as I appreciate the beauty of fall, these signals announce the end of long summer days and strike a melancholy chord in my heart. Autumn is an apt metaphor for aging. Autumn asks us to pause and take stock. How many seasons do we have left? Are we spending our time wisely and well? Are…

  • Communication,  Health & wellbeing

    Communication skills

    “Lack of communication leaves fear and doubt.” ~Kellan Lutz Good communication can strengthen any alliance. Staying in touch, sharing how we feel, and expressing interest in the lives of others can go a long way toward building solid relationships. I’m an over-communicator by nature and by trade. After college, I had jobs that required meetings and follow-up phone calls. Later, as a newspaper columnist, my career was all about talking to people in print. (Early in my marriage, an in-law told me I “talk too much.”) But after years of living among both chatterboxes and quiet people, I’m usually more comfortable with the chatterboxes. While some folks believe it’s safer…

  • Oakland Press columns,  Seasons,  Where I'm published

    Summer hasn’t left yet …

    “Summer nearly does me in every year. It’s too hot and the light is unforgiving and the days go on way too long.” ~Anne Lamott, humorist and author We tend to think of Labor Day as the end of summer — but the season isn’t officially over until the autumnal equinox, which falls this year on September 22. So let’s not rush things. Grab a cold beverage and head for your front porch or patio. Invite summer to stay a while longer. And while you’re at it, make plans to savor every fair-weather activity you can fit on your calendar for the next couple of weeks. An Oakland Press feature…