We are dependent on communication with others. If we do not communicate well with others, we tend to withdraw, feel depressed, and isolate ourselves. We are truly social beings, and we crave connection with others. Even shy and withdrawn, we still need connections to maintain our identity. Poor communication can damage our health. When we avoid communicating our needs and
Anything can be fixed with good communication. I grew up in the era of party lines for the telephone. For those of you who do not know what that means, I will explain. In the forties and beyond, telephone lines were shared among several households, and real people sat at switchboards in specific locations to facilitate these calls as necessary.
One of my favorite Christmases as a child was the year that everyone got ice skates. They were beautiful white high-top boots with a crisp steel blade the length of the sole. I was mesmerized. I had never tried ice skating, but I was sure I would overtake Sonja Henie. A girl can dream. Fortunately, the local reservoir was not
What old kitchen tools do you have from your grandmother, grandfather, or other relatives? Recently, we had friends over, and they noticed the old meat grinder attached to our pot rack in the kitchen. They also shared that they have an old nut grinder in their kitchen. Who has given you their old kitchen tools that you still hang onto?
Where would we find you after school? What talents did you pursue as a child? I remember one little girl who loved to climb trees until one day, she accepted the challenge of a giant fir tree and found herself stuck at the top. The view was beautiful, but the climb down looked impossible. A few cries for help brought
For those of you who have been to school plays, recitals, and fashion shows from the time your children were in preschool to the time they graduated, I write this piece. At the beginning of the play or performance, the director announces that everyone is to silence their cell phones so as not to disturb the event. Further, they request
I have been paying attention rather than zoning out during the ads. As I watch, I notice the roles played by men. I have concluded that the “Ad Men” have decided that “turnabout” is fair play. I remember early television ads because the introduction of the television into the American home was a huge deal. The first television commercial aired
I have written before about a newborn’s ability to sense safety, which is clearly a way of “seeing the real you”. This early sense is about their survival instinct. Today, I want to talk about their “intuition”. Babies, or shall we say toddlers, have the ability to feel another person’s emotions. At about the time that they start to move
Butterflies are beautiful. They come in assorted colors and sizes, and they are great fun to watch. Butterflies belong to the insect order called Lepidoptera. Moths get included in this group as well. Lepidoptera means “scaly wings” in Greek. The Monarch butterfly has a migration path that takes them through Cape May, New Jersey. Every year, people come from miles
Today, the rain is falling steadily. I could quickly be soaked within the first 15 minutes if I were out in it. I am grateful that it is raining and not snowing. This time around, New England will get snow, and one of my relatives will mount his roof and shovel snow to the ground to avoid damage to the
