Uplifting And Positive News
The holidays are dead to me. Which is a big reason this is one of the best times of the year. By “dead,” I actually mean THE dead, as in those who have passed. I love how they have a way of taking a seat at my holiday table. Something tells me they might be at yours, as well. From the moment I pull my grandmother’s pressed glass serving pieces from the cabinet that came from great
What really went down after I dropped off our youngest at college This was not the plan. Not the plan for the plane at all. “How do you think you’ll do?” This question has come from multiple directions all summer long. All in anticipation of what mothers around the world dread. The Empty Nest. I could’ve placed one hand across my heart and the other on a stack of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” and answered entirely truthfully. “I’m fine. Actually,” I’d
Daria and Jim are a nightmare. At least to certain forces we face every day. The companies and marketers who bombard us with romance of stuff. No matter how much you have, you need more. Clothes, shoes, boats, houses, trinkets. Daria, especially, gets that. Stuff-loving hoarder. That’s how she described herself. So much stuff it led her to having one of those “How’d we get here?” moments. “We looked up and realized we had lived in the same house for
And here, I thought I knew the whole story. Which makes me laugh now. You, too, probably. I imagine from time to time, you fall into the same trap. Casually following someone on Facebook. They look like they have everything. Especially, the thing you think you’re missing in your life. In this case, Incredible career success. This woman, Meg, must have it all. She’s worked for Oprah, after all! Her career has continued to bring her amazing opportunities even after
I finally get all this historic solar eclipse stuff. Not the science part. I’ve understood that for some time. At 1:16 pm EDT on Monday, the moon will butt its way between the sun and Earth. It’s going to make things really dark in the middle of the day across America. Such excitement! The plans and celebration! People are traveling thousands of miles hoping to see a total eclipse. I get it. Though, I don’t believe all this enthusiasm is
Something unbelievable is happening in my daughter’s bedroom. Behind a closed door. I know what she’s doing in there. Something big. Something heartbreaking. Something totally expected. Daughter is packing for college. I want to run in there 1,425 times an hour. “Have you thought about…?” “Have you considered…?” I stop myself mid-knock outside her door. I’m determined not to be that parent. Have you seen them? There is a special Facebook page for parents of students going to the same
Italy. The answer is Italy. If you caught last week’s column, Dear Reader, you left me stuck on a mountain top in Oman with a husband who was using frequent flyer miles prowess to get us home. “How about Milan?” he piped up as he worked his booking voodoo. He found a beautiful hotel and two first class seats through Dubai into Milan. For pennies, as he’s apt to do. “We can tour the city. We can go to Lake
My daughter spotted it first. As kids are apt to do. Though, she probably didn’t realize exactly what she was seeing. Just how enormous it was. This is the story of how innocently standing in line at our favorite burrito joint, With nothing more than quacamole and a margarita on my brain, There it was. My unanswered prayer. My big, glaring, forever-wished-for lifetime prayer. If you had been watching us, you would’ve seen Daughter and me patiently inching forward. This
I wasn’t expecting this. My future to come screaming from my past this week. You know those reminders Facebook surprises you with on a regular basis? “Daryn! We thought you’d like to look back on this memory from seven years ago!” They can bring on a smile. They can also bring on pain, When someone who has passed, Or broken your heart shows up without warning. This one, The photo that popped up on my feed this week would be
This is to be Mother’s Day? Sure doesn’t feel like it’s supposed to go down. I find myself thinking about that this week. A lot. I read countless posts about daughters celebrating with their mothers. About bountiful brunch feasts. About women so thankful to hold their children close. Then, I look around. At my holiday. This year. This Mother’s Day. The first without my mother who passed last August. There will be no celebrating with her, I tell myself. Over
