People talk about the difficulties of youth – their struggle to not only find themselves, but settle on goals and work towards them. Once done, they think there is nothing but smooth sailing ahead, particularly if a few darling little children have already rounded out and enriched their lives.
Don’t be embarrassed by your naivete. I [...]
Archive for the ‘REFLECTIONS’ Category
MIDDLE-AGE: BUMPED OFF THE LADDER
Posted in A HOLE IN OUR PARACHUTE, REFLECTIONS, tagged ageism, boomer unemployment, company politics, downsized, ovoerqualified and unemployed on October 1, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
PART ONE: A BRICK WALL
Posted in A HOLE IN OUR PARACHUTE, MEMOIR, REFLECTIONS, tagged forced to downsize, unemployment on August 22, 2009 | 6 Comments »
I haven’t posted a blog entry for over two months now, and you’re probably wondering if I’m just one of those “fly-by-nights” who start blogs with lofty intentions, then abandon them. I promise you, that’s not what’s happened. It’s “life” that’s gotten in the way, and while the mess and stress of it has given me lots [...]
REFLECTIONS ON AN AFTERLIFE
Posted in REFLECTIONS, tagged afterlife, faith, growing up in a convent, mothers, why bad things happen on June 6, 2009 | 4 Comments »
June 6th., 2009
Today is my mother’s birthday. If she were still alive, she would have been seventy-eight years old now, and I have no doubt she would still be impressing us with her fortitude and personal faith. It’s something rarely seen anymore. Nowadays, such conviction is not just suspect, but often an irritant. How can [...]
PINK SOCKS AND A CHEESE BUN
Posted in PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS, tagged counting our blessings, poverty and the single woman, recession on March 7, 2009 | 2 Comments »
This is an oldie, published in Moondance: Celebrating Creative Women in June of 2004. While we deal with the current recession, I can’t help but think of it again, and remember that we are often luckier than we realize.
Once in a while, when I’m feeling particularly blue and disillusioned with life, something happens to open my [...]
DESPERATE MEASURES
Posted in PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS, tagged boomer bankruptcy, falling from grace, fighting ageism in the workplace, fighting creditors, humiliation of asking for help, survivng a recession on February 15, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Today I did something that was very, very difficult. For a long while now, we’ve been dealing with financial insecurity, some of it our own fault, some of it the result of my husband’s connection to the automotive industry. Occasionally, we’d let slip a comment to indicate things weren’t good, but until now, pride, and [...]
THE STRENGTH OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT
Posted in PEOPLE, REFLECTIONS, tagged facing death, living each day, mindfulness, the human spirit on February 10, 2009 | 4 Comments »
Last week, our close friend passed away. For the better part of twenty years, Janet fought cancer and outlasted the dire predictions of the best oncologists. Despite her frail appearance, she seemed invincible. We regularly compared her to that bastion of commercial longevity, the Energizer Bunny.
What was it about her that kept her alive? Surely, she [...]
A DAUGHTER’S VIGIL
Posted in REFLECTIONS, RELATIONSHIPS, tagged daughters losing mothers, keeping vigil at a parent's deathbed, motherloss on January 31, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Today I visited a friend who’s near death. Her husband and young adult children were in the hospital room when we arrived. For days, they have seldom left her side. They are close enough to hear her whisper her needs. They hold her hand, and she lifts theirs closer to kiss. There is overwhelming sadness. [...]
