My husband, Isidore, works in Information Technology. He is also a Dad. One of his jobs provides a salary, recognition, and big handshakes of appreciation. The other one, uh, not so much. But I know the real deal: while it’s important that all those computers run smoothly, it’s the 24/7, thankless, drain-your-bank-account Dad job that … More The Importance of Being Dad
Floating somewhere between youth and the golden years is a strange phase of life: “middle age.” What is this “middle age” and when does it happen? Is it after 40? 45? 50? For many of us, “middle age” isn’t so much a number, as it is a period in our lives when we begin to … More Don’t Lament the Grand Gesture: making peace with our path
Today, people in Grand Rapids will be celebrating one of the city’s greats: Dr. John “Johnny” MacKeigan, who died Sunday of advanced-stage cancer. Dr. MacKeigan, was a prominent surgeon in the city for decades, was former vice president and chief medical officer for Spectrum Health, co-authored dozens of publications, and served on countless boards. He … More A Legacy of Kindness
Hard to believe, but the month of February is almost history, so now comes the moment of truth. Time to check in and see how did we do with the One Month/Two Things challenge? And also to reflect on the past month, and see what was learned about the creative process, where the roadblocks are … More The “One Month/Two Things Challenge”: How Did We Do?
Well, Hello! It feels nice to be writing here again after a long hiatus (during which, we rearranged our life a bit—new job, new state.) But more about that in a future post, because what I really want to write about now is creativity. There is an irony in most of our “To-Do” Lists, and … More On Painting and Taxes: Making Creativity a Priority
While the political candidates seem to have left this summer’s heat wave in the dust, I’m still troubled by what it portends about the planet’s health. And this preoccupation is popping up in everything from what bedtime stories I choose for the kids, to the sketches of dried up flower stalks and brittle leaves appearing … More Drought and LOVE: The Kindergarten Solution to Climate Change
It’s that time of year again when things get a little crazy. Strike that, a lot crazy. So I thought it was high time for the Peace Bird to fly our way. This little guy—imagined and drawn by my six-year-old—hangs above my desk, reminding me daily to “choose peace.” Choosing peace is not the most … More The Peace Bird
As tempting as getting trampled in a Black Friday stampede sounds, we opted instead to stay home and do almost nothing this Thanksgiving holiday. Of course we managed to cook and stuff ourselves on Thanksgiving day, but after that we mostly stayed in our pajamas, lazing around on the couch and watching that game where … More Time to Read
Is it just me, or has this year’s autumn light been beyond phenomenal? It’s like it’s golden hour all day long! To make sure that I don’t miss a photo op, I’ve been toting my camera everywhere. This cloud caught my eye in the parking lot at Target. So when my camera crapped out in … More “Lens Error” Terror
“It’s all set,” our yoga teacher announced with a big smile at the beginning of class. “Everything has come together, and I will be moving next week.” Wha? No! I’d only discovered this neighborhood class one month ago, but already I was smitten with this warm, talented yogi with the beautiful, lilting voice. She was … More Lessons in Impermanence
It’s been a tough time for us Mac folks. Losing Steve Jobs feels personal, it hurts. It hurts because he was a visionary who left us too soon. It hurts because the happy Mac icon has been our friend and constant companion through the years. And it hurts because of how bravely Jobs faced cancer, … More Are Your Dots Connecting?
The Harmony of Opposites 