Essays
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Confessions of a recovering perfectionist
“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life.” ~Anne Lamott I ordered the garden plaque as soon as I saw it in a mail-order catalog. Crafted from terra cotta, it announces in bold letters: EMBRACE IMPERFECTION. Today the plaque hangs on a brick wall just outside my garden room window, where I can view its reassuring message every day. Come to think of it, I should have ordered duplicates to use as decorative reminders throughout the house. I’ve battled perfectionism most of my life. My finely honed nit-picking skills — inherited from my mother — serve me…
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Returning to not-so-normal life
“Normality is a paved road: It’s comfortable to walk, but no flowers grow on it.” ~Vincent Van Gogh Yesterday I met an old friend for lunch on the outdoor patio at Three Cats Cafe. From the start, the two of us were overcome by delight, wondering aloud when we’d last seen each other (at least a year ago). The sun was on my back, my vegetarian “scallops” were perfect, and the company of a vaccinated friend who’s been around since the early days of my writing career was soul-nourishing. It was a sentimental moment — or maybe it just felt that way because we are writers who seize joy anywhere we can…
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The art and science of healing: Notes from my quarantine journal
“It is our wounds that create in us a desire to reach for miracles. The fulfillment of such miracles depends on whether we let our wounds pull us down or lift us up towards our dreams.” ~Jocelyn Soriano, Mend My Broken Heart Healing. I’ve been obsessed with the word ever since the pandemic began. With so much extra time on my hands, I’ve recounted the details of nearly every major illness and every surgery that’s left me with scars on various parts of my face and body, including two hip replacements and a series of Mohs surgeries for skin cancer. Likewise, I’ve recalled the list of family members and friends who’ve slashed my…
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Our home in a holiday commercial
“From a commercial point of view, if Christmas did not exist it would be necessary to invent it.” ~Katherine Whitehorn Setting up the living room / Cindy La Ferle Last week, our home was transformed by Detroit’s TMV Group into a festive set for a Faygo Redpop commercial. Two days prior to the shoot, a film crew rearranged the furniture in our living and dining rooms to accommodate lights and production equipment. Meanwhile, a Christmas tree with twinkle lights was assembled in our living room, then trimmed with ornaments. The staircase was festooned with bows and garlands; the fireplace mantle decked with holiday greens and Christmas stockings. (Doug and I…
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The family columnist
“We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that he is someone today.” ~Stacia Tauscher Using our kids as fodder for Facebook posts, blog posts, or newspaper columns is hardly new. But it was a thought-provoking exercise for me to revisit my own column-writing days in a “Home Forum” essay for The Christian Science Monitor. How much ink is appropriate to give our kids? Are we bragging or exploiting? How can we avoid overstepping personal boundaries or violating our children’s privacy? Please click here to read the essay. –CL
