Over the past few weeks, I indicated to anyone who questioned me that I was not going to make New Year’s resolutions.
If pressed about it, I would say somethin...
What is the bravest thing you have ever done? Was that too abrupt?
Perhaps I should phrase that question differently. I will try — and give you a moment to pro...
Every family has its own particular holiday traditions, carved out over the years.
For me, the Christmas experience has always involved carol singing, a biblic...
When my mother was alive, just looking at her put you in the Christmas spirit.
In her ruffled, red apron, she was everyone’s vision of the holiday — rosy, cher...
It occurred to me I may be one of few people who consistently tracks the Oxford English Dictionary’s Word of the Year.
This year it was two words. And it was d...
I’ve been told I have “no sense of humor.” I don’t think that’s true.
I am Norwegian, however, and Scandinavians can be a somber lot. My brother, who speaks No...
Over the years, I’ve offered holiday-giving ideas for my readers’ consideration. But this year, I offer a “direct request.”
Hold it in your heart for a minute ...
“The cat’s taking Prozac, and the dog’s on CBD.”
That was the headline on a recent article buried deep inside this past week’s Tuesday issue of the New York Ti...
I have a question for you.
I’ve asked it before, but after this week’s election results, it should be asked again. Don’t think too much about it — just say wha...
Count on me to prepare you for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Be advised, it’s coming three weeks after the midterm elections, which means there will no longer be a...
“We should be flooding people with information to the point that it gets irritating.”
Those are the words of Anne N. Soskin, a researcher at Dartmouth’s Rockef...
Over the past several months I’ve regularly received friendly advice from widows or widowers who follow this column.
Their suggestions range from authors I sho...
I have a 9-year-old grandson. I’ve written about him before — but not lately. His father (Chinese, Filipino) is from Hawaii, and his mother is Norwegian. We ref...
As dogs go, he was not remarkable. A 16-year-old, mid-sized, mixed-breed canine who ambled quietly through his final days, sniffing more selectively, sleeping m...
If you have been with a beloved spouse or partner for decades, you probably shared your personal history and life story with this individual — any underbellies ...
I am still wrestling with grief after the death of my husband in June this year.
It is autumn now. I tell myself I should be feeling less sorrow-filled. And on...
What happened? The August/September 2022 issue of AARP’s “The Magazine” is bursting with rich insight and provocative suggestions.
I have always held a love-hat...
The animals owned by my children and grandchildren number more than a dozen. My granddaughter, Sarah, was given two kittens for her recent birthday and my daugh...
I’ve found the smallest things make me happy. It’s the little moments that bring real joy.
It’s that simple. At least, according to the magazine that’s helping ...
I’ve worn hearing aids for well over a decade. I am actually on my second pair.
Without them, conversations with my soft-voiced, 9-year-old grandson would be i...
