Growing with gratitude for life's challenges
Spas are meant to be luxurious: relaxation sublime. My daughter planned on it when she booked us into a top-rated facility for a morning of pampering. My daughter doesn’t have mobility issues. It wasn’t her inner bitch that threatened to spoil the day. Should have known there’d be a problem by the absence of handicapped […]
Read MoreI dream that I am teaching again, have two classes: a grade 9 Math first thing in the morning and a senior History last period. I am late, so someone else has to start the Math class, and when I do arrive, I am unprepared and uncertain that I can proceed. Last class is more […]
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Dear Dad, We all gathered together last night at D’s and were reminiscing about your death. It’s been ten years, and funny how we all remember it differently. I say ‘all’ but really there was just D and I, her two sons, and my middle daughter and family. Our family has dwindled away to nothing. […]
Read More“A Kinder Egg,” our four-year-old granddaughter wrote to Santa. “A kitten,” asked her cousin, aged five. My kids sent me lists, as per my request, and my husband created a wish list on Amazon – mostly things for our motor home. I have no idea what I want. Truthfully, I have everything I need – […]
Read MoreCognitive functioning is currently down a notch. (I know I’ve complained of this before, but bear with me – I think it merits understanding.) I found a recipe for Easy Lentil Curry on the blog: Simple Vegan. Since I love curries and lentils, I decided “easy” must mean it is doable even for me. Part […]
Read More“I get hit on everyday at work,” a young mother recently disclosed. “Anyone of those men would be happy to look after me. My husband just doesn’t appreciate me enough!” I don’t know what has motivated this woman to make such a comment, but I fear she is on the brink of destroying many lives. “There […]
Read MoreSleeping in was a sin in my father’s eyes. Even as a teenager, no matter how late we’d been out the night before, if we weren’t up with the sun, Dad would treat us to an icy face wash. The early bird catches the worm! Laziness was not tolerated either. If we were ever caught […]
Read MoreI’m in love with my doctor. I realized it this afternoon, when having just returned from a quarterly visit; I opened my email to find three messages from his office, all with attachments outlining the new course of treatment he has assigned me. It’s not that I didn’t know the emails were coming – handouts […]
Read MoreSometimes ‘aha’ moments come out of the most unexpected events. I think it started with a compliment from my son. He and his new wife had invited the family for dinner last night, and as my husband was tied up all day, Jay offered to pick me up early. “You look nice, Mom!” were the […]
Read MoreCurrent setbacks have been self-imposed, it appears. I went to a physiotherapist this week to see if I could get some help for my legs. “Best way I can describe it,” I told him, “is that my legs feel like the plastic ones on those cheap patio chairs. I can’t trust that they won’t give […]
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One Woman's Quest II 