Community spirit
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Redefining “family”
“Family was a bigger word than I imagined, wide and without limitations, if you allowed it, defying easy definition. You had family that was supposed to be family and wasn’t, family that wasn’t family but was….It was possible to lack whole, honest love and connection from family in lead roles, yet to be filled to abundance by the unexpected supporting players.” ~Deb Colette, The Secret Life of Prince Charming The winter holidays traditionally shine a bright light on our family relationships. Sometimes that’s a beautiful thing, and sometimes it’s … complicated. (In yesterday’s post, I shared a column about coping with the loss of loved ones during the holidays.) Whether it’s…
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Some thoughts on holiday charity
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.” ~William James It’s easy to dismiss our own actions as inconsequential drops in the bucket of the grand scheme of things. But as William James reminds us in today’s quote, that isn’t true. And before I get started here, I should add that I’m not campaigning for the Salvation Army, though I do appreciate the organization’s year-long efforts to help others in need. But I think about William James’s quote nearly every time I pass the folks who are ringing bells at the entrance of my local grocery store. Since I visit this market almost daily, I encounter these…
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Deep roots
“True friendship withstands time, distance, and silence.” ~Isabel Allende During my recent bout with COVID-19, I had to cancel all social plans until I recovered. Being in isolation for nearly a month was hard, but I was cheered by the “check-in” messages from friends and neighbors who worried about Doug and me. Sometimes I took car rides while in quarantine — just for a change of scenery. Driving back home through my neighborhood, I got to thinking about all the friendships I have within blocks of my home — friendships that have grown richer through shared history and experience for more than 30 years. Even when I don’t see these…
