The Challenge of Meeting Changes Head On
There are many changes in our lives. Some are related to our situation, from childhood to old age. Ready or ...
Time Flies Even When You’re Not Having Fun
Most of us know how time seems to go faster when we are enjoying ourselves. We can even experience it ...
I Have Become Crazy About Clouds
I don’t know how it started, but I have become a cloud watcher. I have always liked looking at them, ...
Smiling at Someone Can Make a Difference
Something as simple as a smile can make a real difference. In our society today, many people don’t even make ...
I Have a “Liquid Personality”
I know it sounds bizarre, but I do have a “liquid personality.” For me, crying is a frequently-used emotion. I ...
Sometimes, I Talk Too Much!
As I grow older, I find myself talking with someone and begin to realize that I have dominated the conversation ...
Smiling at Babies Makes Me Happy!
When I am out in public, one of my favorite things to do, (when I get the opportunity) is smile ...
The California Grandma
When we moved to California in 1982, our daughter Mary was almost 7 and Seth was 5 years old. We ...
Time Flies Even When You’re Not Having Fun!
The longer I live, the more I have witnessed that time flies, even when you aren’t having fun. It may ...
I Can’t Imagine My Life Without God
I can’t imagine my life without God. I don’t want to ever feel differently. Even though terrible things happen, they ...
I’m Back! (I missed this so much!)
Well! I finally got back on my blog, as you can see. It was so frustrating! But on the bright ...
And All of a Sudden, My Blog Was Gone!
“What happened?” I said to myself. I clicked on what was supposed to be my blog site, and a message ...
A New Life (Part 10)
Looking back on our lives in California, I sometimes marvel at the sheer volume of our activities and relationships with ...
A New Life (Part 9)
After moving to Duarte, we had immersed ourselves in church, school and the community. We made life-long friends. Our family ...
A New Life (Part 8)
So our lives went on in Duarte, and we were super involved in church and school activities. It was a ...
A New Life (Part 7)
As life went on in California, we corresponded mostly by mail to our family and friends in Indiana. Phone calls ...
A New Life (Part 6)
As time went on, we met our neighbors, fellow parishioners and people from Valley View School. I joined the PTA ...
A New Life (Part 5)
Well, after enrolling Mary in the last few weeks of school and joining a parish, we were on a roll. ...
A New Life ~ Part 4
Well, after getting Mary into school, the next thing we needed to do was find a church. We had decided ...
A New Life ~ Part 3
One of the first things we needed to do was visit the school. Back home, the school year had ended ...
A New Life ~ Part 2
When we arrived at the house my husband had rented, I was so very happy and excited. It was just ...
A New Life (Part 1)
In 1982, our family moved to California because new construction was at a standstill. My husband did finish carpentry at ...
Constructive Criticism
Constructive criticism can be a tricky thing. If a person needs direction at times, the way in which it is ...
New Year’s Day ~ Again!
I am continually amazed at the swift passage of time. I remember my mom and I speaking of this phenomenon ...
Something to hang on to . . .
It strikes me that every one of us, at every age, needs something or someone to hang on to. This ...
A Time to Ponder
I have had a cold for the past 5 days. It felt like it was coming on the day before ...
Being Teased
Does anyone ever really like being teased? Well, first of all, I think it depends on how a person does ...
Loneliness Can Be Devastating
Loneliness can literally be devastating. There is a loneliness epidemic in America. Although it was more recently exacerbated by the ...
Making People Laugh Is One of My Favorite Things
I can’t remember exactly when I first had the experience of unintentionally making other people laugh at something I said ...
Why Am I Here?
A question I often ask myself is, “Why am I here?” Now this is not something I say in despair ...
Today’s Random Thoughts
The English language has so many weird and wonderful terms. I marvel at its diversity. With words derived from so ...
Thinking Too Much!
Sometimes I succumb to negativity by thinking too much. This behavior is deadly to a peaceful mindset. When a person ...
Life Without Laughter
I can’t imagine a life without laughter. I don’t want to. I don’t even want to think about it. That’s ...
You Gotta Be Your Best Friend
Many years ago, I taught a program I had entitled, “Sing and Sign” for elementary school students. I was taking ...
Learning to Recognize Every Good Thing
I have found, in my life, that I don’t always appreciate every good thing that is happening around me. I ...
A Joke and a Song
My husband and I were both in plays in high school. We had been in plays and musicals in different ...
Going Out to Lunch
I love to go out to lunch! I mean, I really love it! What could be better than eating out ...
Have You Ever Been Frantic?
Have you ever felt frantic? I have, and it is terrifying! There are many words that are synonyms of this ...
Sometimes I Marvel
If you look up “marvel” on the internet, the first entries you see are about Marvel comics, Marvel movies and ...
Compassion
I learned something new about the word “compassion.” I have already written about sympathy and empathy and the differences between them. ...
Living in Grace
What do you think living in grace means? To me, it is seeking to have gratitude for our daily life, ...
Negative and Positive Thinking
I think that most people experience the effects of negative thinking at some point in their lives. I know that ...
The Reason I Love Facebook
There is a main reason that I love Facebook. I love to communicate with friends, family and everyone for that ...
Growing Up In the 50’s
I think that I was very fortunate to have grown up in the 50's. The main reason I was so ...
What I Learned When I Stopped Walking
I have had periods in my life when I walked a lot. In fact, for years I used to walk ...
Want What You Need, NOT, Need What You Want
I think that in our consumer society, we often forget that accumulating stuff can really be a burden. I have ...
Some Things I Learned From My Trip to Sicily
Having just spent time in Sicily, I learned about how Sicilians react to, and with strangers. My maternal grandparents, having ...
Paper and Pencil at My Bedside
I have come to believe that having paper and pencil at my bedside is now a necessity in my life. ...
Isn’t it . . .
Isn’t it wonderful when you unexpectedly see a friend that you were thinking of, and they had been thinking of ...
Throwing Kisses
It seems I have been throwing kisses most of my life. Even after I had become an adult, mom and ...
Why I Kept Old Letters
Even though nobody asked, I am going to tell you why I kept old letters. I don’t know exactly why, ...
The Power of Prayer
One should never underestimate the power of prayer. Even if a person has never done this in their life with ...
Learning to Share
The lesson of learning to share is a difficult one. But it is infinitely easier for children, especially when they ...
Now I’m Getting Scared
I have been having memory issues for some time now. But now it is beginning to scare me. The only ...
I Am Not 80 Yet
“I Am Not 80 Yet” is the first part of the title in an opinion piece by Bonnie Tsui in ...
Going to the Dogs
My husband has been going to the dogs for the last 2 years now. It’s been quite an experience as ...
The Most Important Thing
I remember quite clearly a moment I had with my eldest granddaughter when she was quite young. She was often ...
My Life-Long Pen Pal
I found letters from my long-time pen pal the other day. They were in one of the storage totes that ...
My Very Special Friend
In the beginning, we didn’t know each other very well. We were just in a group of writers, singers, and ...
The Value of Good Counseling
I have always seen the value of counseling in my life. There are many reasons for this. One of the ...
If You Love Someone, Tell Them
If you love someone, tell them. Don’t let time go by and find that you lost your chance to communicate ...
A Turn-Off Switch For My Mind
Do you ever wish you had a turn-off switch for your mind? I do. Whenever I am worried about the ...
Coping With the Loss of a Friend
Recently, a dear friend of mine died. We had known each other since 1st grade, but had not been close ...
Always Apologize If …
Always apologize if you hurt someone’s feelings, even if you didn’t mean to or were unaware of it happening. If ...
Friends for Life
I have a friend who knows everything about me. We went to kindergarten together at one school and continued to ...
Ever More Challenges As We Age
Challenges tend to grow exponentially as we age. Beyond the aches and pains and other insults and injuries, we begin ...
The Questions I Never Asked
As I have become much older, I have begun to think of questions I should have asked when my parents ...
Random Thoughts As the New Year Begins
I am thinking about the past year and am trying to put together a perspective that remembers all of the ...
The Gifts of Love
There are many gifts of love that one can give another person. The holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions are ...
Be Grateful . . . Always
Be grateful, no matter what happens in your day. In times of trouble, be grateful. At times of uncertainty, give ...
Journaling
I have always written, but never considered it journaling. This is probably because I didn’t have the journal itself to ...
Meandering Thoughts
It seems I have been plagued with meandering thoughts for a very long time. Hence, the impetus for writing my ...
Getting Old Isn’t For Sissies
Some years ago, I would pick up a friend’s mother and take her to church with me. My friend went ...
Encyclopedias in Our Pockets
When I first started working with a student in high school, there were so many things I needed to learn ...
Writing Captions
If you read my blogs and/or Facebook posts, you may have noticed, I am fond of writing captions. Well, you ...
The Human Connection
If one can find connections in life, it makes it possible to learn something new. If one has a relationship ...
Embarrassing Moments
It seems that the shelf-life of embarrassing moments can extend to one’s natural death or one’s complete loss of memory ...
Childhood Memories
Some of the things we carry with us throughout our lives are childhood memories. And these memories can be wonderful, ...
Money is . . .
What does money mean to you? Do you think of it only as a necessity, which it is of course? ...
The Things We Used to Say
Now when I say ”we,” I am referring to the people in days gone by when certain sayings were used ...
Take a Break
When there have been a lot of changes in a person’s life, one can find it helpful to just “take ...
Little Things Matter
The older I get, the more I realize just how much the little things matter in our lives. A smile, ...
The Power of Being Positive
There is tremendous power in being positive. There is also tremendous power in being negative. Everyday, each of us has ...
Being Rude and the Use of Profanity
In my opinion, being rude is totally unacceptable behavior. Rudeness comes from a lack of respect for others. It is ...
Those Never-ending Memory Issues
Sometimes, the passage of time can seem to be cruel. As my memory problems seem to increase daily, I find ...
Truth-telling, Politics, and the Media
Have you noticed that since the term, “alternative facts,” was first introduced, that everything started to change in the way ...
Concrete Things (a Pictionary experience)
If you have never played Pictionary, an explanation is necessary. It is a game in which 2-person teams compete to ...
The Wisdom of Nomadic, Indigenous Peoples
There is so much to be learned about and from nomadic, indigenous peoples. To begin with, they are the first ...
Getting Something Out of Your System
“You’ve got to get it out of your system,” said my mom whenever I was stressed and upset, or sad ...
Being Friendly
I have always appreciated it when people have been welcoming and friendly to me. Especially when one is young and ...
A Burden of Love
A Burden of Love Upon hearing the word “burden,” what does it mean to you? One tends to think of ...
Clearing One’s Mind
I seem to always have a serious case of clutter in my head. Why is clearing one’s mind so difficult ...
Amazing Grace
“Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound.” Such a beautiful song! But the word grace, itself, also has many wonderful synonyms ...
Perseveration
The first time I even heard the word “perseveration” was when I was working with a developmentally disabled client. I ...
Storytelling
Remember when you were a child and your mom or dad would read you a story? I loved hearing stories. ...
Being Included
There is a feeling of worth in being included. When a person is asked to be a part of a ...
The Whack Pack
There is a deck of cards, made by Roger von Oech, called the “Creative Whack Pack.” My husband bought it ...
Anger is a Sign
Anger is a sign of an emotion. We can feel anger because someone doesn’t agree with us. We can be ...
Unspoken Words
To me, one of the worst things that can happen to a friendship is feeling that there is something that ...
You Make a Life
Winston Churchill stated: “You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.” I ...
Vocabulary
Do you ever think about the vocabulary you use on a regular basis? Do you like learning new words? I ...
Pain Can Be a Blessing
I have found that there are reasons that pain can actually be a blessing. Sometimes, it is in disguise. That ...
Don’t Walk Out, Talk It Out
There are reasons not to walk out of a conversation that involves conflict. Most often, it doesn’t solve anything. There ...
Some of My Thoughts on Disappointment
When I was a child, I never wanted to disappoint my parents. Actually, I never wanted to disappoint anyone I ...
Being Strong
There have been times in my life when people have either said, “Be strong!” or “You’re Strong.” to me when ...
Standing Up For Oneself
Growing up, I often undervalued myself and the things I could accomplish. But standing up for oneself is so important ...
Having a Song Stuck in My Head
Do you ever remember having a song stuck in your head? Boy! I do! And I even have experience in ...
Shifting Perspectives
As I get older, I find myself noticing the shifting perspectives of life. Some are obvious, such as the way ...
Gather the Goodness
I have no idea why these words appeared in my mind. But I think it is a sign for me ...
Thinking Outside of the Box
Being human beings, we tend to think of things in categories such as boxes. Even if a person thinks that ...
When in Doubt, Stay There Awhile
I have found that sometimes, when in doubt about something, it can be useful to stay in a state of ...
What I Have Learned About Grief
After grieving the loss of my father, my son, and now my mother, I find that I am still learning ...
Words Are Powerful
It is exceedingly important to always remember that words are powerful. We have so many examples of this in history, ...
I Have Two Voices in my Head
I have two voices in my head. I call one “good Lora” and the other “evil Lora.” I don’t think ...
Dare to Care
In difficult times, it is easy to want to step back and say, “I don’t care,” even if you don’t ...
Going to the Dogs
When I was thinking about the origin of, “going to the dogs,” I looked for a source, and this is ...
My New Pen Pal
A few days ago, on Facebook I posted a re-run blog that I wrote 2 years ago. It was about ...
I Was Inspired to Write a Song and . . .
Today, while driving home, I began to feel a song coming on. So I started “writing” it in my head, ...
Today Is My Birthday
Today is my birthday. I am 70 years old. I don't know what I am supposed to feel like, but ...
How Moods Affect Our Lives
Do you ever think about how moods affect our lives? I do. And it is quite a powerful factor in ...
Living on Borrowed Time
I have been thinking of the idiom “living on borrowed time” a lot lately and had recently written it on ...
A Blank Slate
In the Merriam Webster dictionary a blank slate is referred to as tabula rasa. In Sanskrit, Tabula means a blank ...
Wallowing in the Mud of My Mind
Do you ever find yourself wallowing in your own mind? The only ways I have ever thought about wallowing is ...
My Childhood Friends
There’s something very special about the friendships forged in elementary school. This is uniquely true for the friendships my classmates ...
Sometimes . . .
Sometimes I am feeling so good just to wake up in the morning that I have to say, “Thank you, ...
Cranky People
Cranky people are very hard to tolerate. There are so many words to describe the crankiness of humans. Many more ...
A Virtual Reality
What is virtual reality? Really? I mean we know, according to Merriam-Webster it is: an artificial environment which is experienced ...
Having a Lot on One’s Plate
It has become a common phrase to refer to a person who has an overwhelming amount of things to deal ...
What is “Enough?”
“Enough” is an interesting word. It means different things to different people within the context of what is being said ...
Getting Your Hands Dirty
There’s just something satisfying about getting your hands dirty. I mean, actually getting your hands in the dirt. I had ...
Our Animals
Our animals, whether they are pets, workers, support animals, farm animals or entertainers, are our treasures. Some of them are ...
Finding Inspiration
Isn’t it amazing when one is struck with inspiration? What a fabulous feeling one gets each time it happens. ...
Good Manners
Do people even talk about good manners these days? I don’t think it is a frequent topic of conversation anymore ...
Interrogatives
What are interrogatives? What is an interrogative. So too, are who, where, when, how and derivatives of these words along ...
Anticipation
Anticipation is a word that can elicit my memories of being a kid, waiting for a holiday, or an upcoming ...
Put On a Happy Face
If you ever saw the musical, “Bye, Bye Birdie,” back in the ‘60’s, you will remember Dick Van Dyke singing ...
Finding Gold in the Mud
I can’t remember how “finding gold in the mud” became a topic on my blog list. So as I was ...
Someone to Look Up To
When a young person is growing up, having someone to look up to, is really important. Without a good role ...
Writing Thank-you Letters
I have always found that writing thank-you letters is very important. It is an appropriate response when a person or ...
Always Remember the Precious Moments
When a person experiences precious moments, it’s important to remember them. They are a gift beyond measure because they have ...
The Very Worst Thing About Losing My Mom
Eight days ago, my mother died. She was completely independent, living in the house my father built for them until ...
Praying Yourself to Sleep
When you find yourself restless in bed, have you ever tried praying yourself to sleep? I have. It has saved ...
How I Write My Blog
I love to write and was intrigued by the idea of writing a blog. So, I did a search on ...
Looking Forward to Something
I have always enjoyed, and even craved, looking forward to something. It can be something as simple as anticipating a ...
Forgiveness
There is power in forgiveness. Forgiveness is at the very heart of peace. This is because through forgiveness, we become ...
Learn to Agree to Disagree
There are times in our lives when it is prudent to agree to disagree with other people. Sometimes, this kind ...
Be Kind to Yourself
Be kind to yourself. If you can’t be kind to yourself, you will not be able to be as kind ...
When Times Are Tough, Be Grateful
When times are tough, be grateful, for gratitude has the power to affect your attitude in an amazing, positive way ...
Love Requires Sacrifice
Deep, abiding love requires sacrifice. One has to be ready to sacrifice to truly love another person. If a person ...
Prayer and Exercise=Positive Energy
I have always believed in the power of prayer. Prayer can take many forms, but it is always a positive ...
Think 3-D (Deliberate, Decide and Do)
Whenever one faces a problem, it can be very useful to think 3-D. First, it is important to deliberate or ...
My Mother’s Hands
I have always thought my mother’s hands were beautiful. And they are. Is it possible that they could be even ...
The Wisdom of Having Three Different Wardrobes
In my life thus far, I have known several people who kept three different wardrobes of clothing in their closets ...
On Leveling the Playing Field
We live on an uneven playing field. We know this. And if we fit in or onto the playing field ...
You Are Not Lucky, You Are Blessed
Over 20 years ago, I was gently admonished by a wonderful man. Reverend KIrk was the leader of an organization ...
Meeting New People
I have always enjoyed meeting new people. I really love to learn about those who are different than I am. ...
Admit Your Mistake, and Just Apologize
Whenever a person makes a mistake, it is important to admit your mistake and apologize. If one does not do ...
My Summer Friend
When I was in elementary school, I had a friend that I saw and played with all summer long. We ...
You and I Are in This Together
In California, in the 80’s, my children attended a public school just blocks from our home. It was a very ...
The Necessary Art of Getting Along
Getting along with one another is not just the act of tolerating other people. It is both an action and ...
Attitude Is Everything
If you Google “attitude is everything,” you will find numerous quotes and books by different authors. In addition to these, ...
Random Ramblings
Since I have had trouble finding the right topic for my blog, I decided to do some random rambling. I ...
Preciousness
We often use the word “precious” when describing babies. That is because life is precious and a new life, a ...
Some Thoughts on Texting
It goes without saying that texting while driving is against the law, with good reason. But I have some other ...
Sleeping Through the Sadness
When my son died suddenly, many years ago now, I was able to sleep. Sleeping became a significant part of ...
Am I a Good Steward?
Have you ever asked yourself, ”Am I a good steward?” It’s a question to ask ourselves from time time to ...
Finding Oneself
Is “finding oneself” even a thing we set out to do? Or does it refer to the maturity we acquire ...
I Know It’s Only a Car, But There’s Something You Need to Know
To the young man who hit my mom's car: You crashed into my mom's car several days ago. It was ...
The Importance of Sharing Good News
It is important to share good news. Sharing good news is passing on positive energy that can elicit the sensation ...
Positive Energy and the Act of Creation
Have you ever created something and felt a positive energy flow through you? Whenever I write something I am going ...
Meditation Works (even when you think it isn’t going well)
I remember, a long time ago, trying to get into the daily practice of meditation. Some days, I found meditation ...
Waste Not, Want Not
“Waste not, want not” was a saying that I couldn’t understand when I was a kid. I thought it meant ...
Finding a Topic of Interest
For a long time, in my quest to find a topic I wanted to write about, I referred to my ...
Looking Up
Every morning, when one wakes up, a decision can be made. Either consciously or otherwise, a person will be feeling ...
Too Many Goals
I have always had too many goals for my creativity. It has always been difficult for me to concentrate on ...
It’s a Joy to Read Aloud at Any Age
Recently, I have been reading books to my mother, who will be 94 in a couple of weeks. We have ...
Letting Go
As I grow older, I find it is easier to let go of things, negative feelings, and even some responsibilities ...
A Tribute to My Father
My father died 28 years ago and left a big hole in in his place. But I feel that he ...
Who Is My Neighbor?
Who is my neighbor? I have been thinking about this question a lot lately. Are they just the people who ...
The Role of Prejudice in Society
In today’s increasingly diverse population, one would think that it would be easier to be open-minded, tolerant and inclusive. Prejudices ...
Kids Are Worth It!
I attended a talk by Barbara Coloroso sometime in the 80’s at my children’s school entitled, “Kids Are Worth It!” ...
Can We Learn to Agree to Disagree?
It is possible, if one is committed to choose love over hate, for a person to learn to agree to ...
Finding Common Ground in a Divided World
There are so many reasons it is hard to find common ground in our divided world. The differences seem to ...
Mama Songs
In the mid-nineties I was taking a shower and I was thinking about my mom. A melody came to me ...
It May Be a Good Idea to Test Our Ability to Care
I think it might be a good idea to create a test to measure our ability to care. That way, ...
My Self-Isolation Issues
With a pandemic in full swing, it would seem logical that being in isolation with the people one lives with ...
Fear Can Be Our Worst Enemy
Fear can be a true enemy. No matter what ills of society, or tragedy one bears, fear is what causes ...
Resurrection
Today is Easter for Christians everywhere. But for all of us, there can be a resurrection, whether or not one ...
Hidden Faces and other Oddities
Do you see hidden faces in the things around you? I do. And have you thought of numbers as being ...
Taking Time to Look Inward
It has occured to me that at a time of social distancing, it might be enlightening to find out more ...
I Love Quirky Things
I love quirky things! Whenever we want to find a movie on Netflix, my husband and I look for titles ...
A Sense of the Ridiculous
If one is to survive well in this life, it helps to have a sense of the ridiculous. In a ...
What’s the Hurry?
I’m sure that most of us are aware that many people, almost everywhere one goes, are in a hurry. It ...
Old Friends
Old friends are a gift beyond measure. The history they share binds them like no other, for shared experiences enrich ...
Dare to Be Kind
To be kind, one must see the value of the other, regardless of how they present themselves. Sometimes, being kind ...
The Reason Lying is Wrong
I will begin with a quote from the BBC Ethics website: “Lying is giving some information while believing it to ...
Text, Talk or Face-to-Face
I never thought I would be writing about whether one would prefer to text, talk or have a face-to-face conversation ...
Verbose, Loquacious ~ (and many other words to describe using a lot of words)
I love to talk and write and use a lot of words on a daily basis. That is why I ...
Good Health
Since I have been sick in bed with a virus for over a week, I thought I should write about ...
Go For It!
Has anyone ever said to you, “Go for it?” Not as a question, as that first sentence reads, but as ...
Smiling Makes a Difference
I think that smiling has been a frequent topic of my posts over the past four plus years. The reason ...
Home for the Holidays
“Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays 'Cause no matter how far away you roam When you pine ...
Personality Test
Many people are familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality test. It is a tool to help people understand themselves and others ...
Understanding
The word, “understanding” is both a noun and an adjective. As such, a person can have an understanding with another ...
Cursive Writing
When I was in grade school, I remember when we learned to do cursive writing. (We had been printing our ...
Bitter or Better
I remember hearing it said that after surviving a great loss, a person can become bitter or better. It struck ...
The Joy of Delayed Gratification
Delayed gratification is so much sweeter than getting what you want, whenever you want it. When one can acquire things ...
Remember Writing Letters?
This past weekend, I was sorting through things that I needed to put away. And there in the middle of ...
The First Lora ~an immigrant story~
In my family, I am the second Lora. My grandmother was the first, followed by me as number two, and ...
High School Reunion
Last night I attended my 50th High School Class Reunion. It was extremely well-planned and everything went beautifully. Classmates reacquainted ...
Try a Little Tenderness
If you are into soul and the blues, you probably are familiar with the song, “Try a Little Tenderness.” It ...
A Most Fitting Farewell and a Homecoming in Heaven
Yesterday, on a gorgeous autumn day, my dear, sweet, funny mother-in-law was laid to rest. It was a fitting farewell ...
Vocabulary
I absolutely love words. I relish the way language grows and changes. I delight in English for its many origins ...
Living Deliberately
I have had this two-word phrase in my mind many times. Living deliberately is something to aspire to in this ...
Empathy and Sympathy Are Not the Same
Sometimes, people confuse the terms, empathy and sympathy. They are not the same in some very significant ways. The easiest ...
It’s Important to Apologize When We Make Mistakes
It’s really important to apologize when we make mistakes. It is a sign of strength and maturity, not weakness. Unfortunately, ...
The Last Day of My Life
Sometimes, I forget that every day I live, could be my last. If I daily remember to consider this truth, ...
Be Open to Change
Why are human beings often not open to change in their lives? Why do we get stuck in our ideas ...
Writing Letters
I have always felt that writing letters was a wondrous thing. When I was young, I always enjoyed getting mail, ...
Leaving One’s Mark
If “leaving one’s mark” means to have an effect on something, I want to do it like my dad did ...
What Will I Leave Behind?
What will I leave behind? After I am gone, what will my descendants have to remember me by?Will it be ...
Memories and Things to Remember
Memories and things to remember are two very different things. Memories are tucked away in one’s mind, both good and ...
The Way He Loved Me (A Song for My Father)
Since my father died, I’ve had a hole inside of me. A grief I could not hide for one who ...
From the Inside Out
I have come to believe that almost everything a person says or does is expressed from the inside out. What ...
A Pregnant Pause
Have you ever witnessed a person employ a pregnant pause? When this happens, you may begin to try and interpret ...
Dogs Help Us to Be More Humane
If you have ever had an dog for a pet, I think that you will agree that they have an ...
Just Breathe
When one needs to make a decision, before even thinking about it, just breathe. Take a really deep breath. Then, ...
It’s the Little Things
It really is the little things that make a big difference in our lives. These “little things” can include a ...
Putting On My Eyebrows
For anyone younger than 50 or 60, this topic about eyebrows will probably not compute. Today, a popular opinion about ...
I’ve Come to Love My “Old Lady” Shoes
I have really come to love my “old lady” shoes. It’s not just because they are comfortable. And it’s certainly ...
Jotting It Down
I am suffering from immediate short term memory loss. When something happens and you can’t recall what it was, or ...
Turn Things Around
Sometimes I find myself feeling “blah” about something when I could just as easily turn things around in my mind ...
Writing~Off the Top of my Head
Sunday~ In trying to find a topic that I wanted to write about, I discovered that nothing on my list ...
The Gift of Time
There is no better present that one can give to another person, than the gift of time. Nothing else compares ...
Giving Things Away
I have always enjoyed giving things away. Whether they be presents I bought, art I made or just things I ...
Singing Telegrams
Many years ago, while living in California, where the weather was almost always sunny, I started my endeavor of performing ...
Under the Influence
“Under the Influence” is a phrase used to describe a person who is inebriated. But what if we began to ...
Maybe, it’s Just an Inconvenience
So many things that happen in everyday life can be irritating and can bring out negative feelings that make our ...
Do Opposites Attract?
Do opposites attract? Or, do they divide? I think that both can be true. In the current political atmosphere, there ...
Short Term Memory
I never used to think about short term memory, or long term memory for that matter. It seemed to me, ...
One Word, Many Meanings, Many Signs
Many years ago, I was taking a class in Sign Language. My teacher was fantastic. One day he demonstrated how ...
Bone Tired, But Grateful
For several months now, I have considered myself, “bone tired.” This is more than exhaustion. For some reason, sleep does ...
When I Was Young
I often think of how different life was when I was growing up. It was a simpler time in many ...
An Ode to My Mother
I am extremely blessed. I have been the recipient of the selfless love that only good mothers can give. I ...
The Santa Birds ~an excerpt from How I Survived the First Year~
When the kids were in grade school, we lived in California and we started creating our own Christmas cards. We ...
Living Without Regret
There is one thing I hope I never have to deal with in any significant way. That something is living ...
Random Thoughts as the Holiday Approaches
Every week, as I think about the topic of my next blog, I look at a list I have accumulated ...
White Privilege
At least a dozen years ago, the first time I heard the term, “white privilege,” and realized that I was ...
The Way a Person Smiles Makes a Difference
The way in which a person smiles really makes a difference. How one smiles can show the true intention of ...
Thanksgiving Day ~an excerpt from How I Survived the First Year
Thanksgiving Day ~from 11/26/98~ It’s Thanksgiving Day, and even though I am grateful for many things, I am besieged by my ...
Veteran’s Day
Since today is Veteran’s Day, I decided to post this excerpt from my book, How I Survived the First Year~a ...
Prejudices
In this day and age, we need to think about the prejudices we all have. When left to our own ...
The Power of Prayer
The day my son died, I began to feel the incredible power of prayer in a more dramatic way than ...
Aches and Pains
I was reminded today, that I am getting old. Or, in particular, my body is not what it used to ...
Be a Friend to Someone
If we are fortunate enough, and live long enough, we encounter, and perhaps befriend many good people during the course ...
Growing Pains
Growing pains aren’t just something we physically experience in childhood. We never really totally finish growing up, do we? We ...
Through the Eyes of a Child
What if we could see the world through the eyes of a child? Each of us is born without any ...
No Time Like the Present
One of the things my father used to say, is “There’s no time like the present.” This, coming from the ...
The Club that Nobody Wants to Join
There is a club that nobody wants to join. It happens after a devastating event. It has no official name, ...
Giving Blood is Giving Life
The first time I gave blood, I was in college. There was a big drive at the Union Building on ...
True Affection
What is affection? Is it purely physical? Is it in one’s heart, unspoken, but felt deeply? Does it dwell in ...
Finding Balance in an Unbalanced World
There is so much conflict in our society and the entire world. It has become increasingly difficult to find the ...
Good Memories Are Like Gold ~ an excerpt from How I Survived the First Year
When our kids were 12 and 13, maybe younger, an opportunity for our family to share with others showed itself ...
Having Fun at No One’s Expense
There is a huge difference between having fun with someone and poking fun at a person. There is an even ...
Everyone Has A Story
Everyone has a story to tell. Each of us has a path to follow. Whether or not it is shared ...
Being Grandma
I have decided, that for me, the privilege of being a Grandma to my daughter’s children is a gift beyond ...
The Necessary Art of Reconciliation
According to Merriam-Webster~ Reconcile 1a: to restore to friendship or harmony ...
The Path of Least Resistance
I have always had a habit of taking the least resistant path, especially when driving in traffic. When I am ...
The Absence of Touch
There are substantial written sources that extol the benefits of touch in human interaction. However, upon thinking about this topic, ...
Live in the Moment
Let me explain what I mean when I say, “Live in the moment.” It’s not that you should cast caution ...
The Things We Take For Granted
Have you ever just taken a moment to think of all the good in your life? There are so many ...
Hope Doesn’t Disappoint
I have been thinking about hope a lot lately. It occurred to me, that when l am hopeful, disappointment is ...
The Necessity of a Good Sense of Humor (and a Sense of the Ridiculous)
While a good sense of humor cannot solve every one of our problems, it sure can help a person get ...
Consideration
I would like to think that consideration, just a simple gesture of human respect, would be something that we acquired ...
Moods Matter
I never think much about moods, until I am in a bad one. If I feel down or discouraged, I ...
Aging Gracefully
Aging gracefully is a real term, isn’t it? I am not sure that it is something for me to aspire ...
Keeping the Faith
Often, when I want to write about something, I turn to Google. I find that it gives me ideas that ...
Being Human vs. Being Humane
What does it mean to be human? Is it merely being alive as a physical being? Are we just animals ...
Happy Thoughts at the Start of the Day
What if your very first thought at the start of your day was, ”Thank you?” What if we began each ...
The Haircut (from How I Survived the First Year by Lora Marie Wade)
One year ago, today, was the last time I saw Seth. It’s the anniversary of our last haircut, the one ...
Make a Mental List
I don’t remember who used to say this, but growing up, I remember someone often saying, “I’ll have to make ...
Elderly People
I have always had great affection for older people. I was fortunate enough to have both sets of my grandparents ...
True Strength
In writing about true strength, let me begin with the definitions of the word “strength.” According to Merriam-Webster, the first ...
Vulnerability and Peace
I will never forget a keynote speaker that was featured at a Peace Conference I attended in the late 1990’s ...
Forever Twenty-One ~ Written on February 13, 1999 ~ a poem~ an excerpt from How I Survived the First Year
Tomorrow would have been his twenty-second birthday. But he will not be having his birthday anymore. He will forever ...
Being Comfortable In One’s Own Skin
It has always seemed to me, that being at home with one’s self, i.e. being comfortable in one’s skin, should ...
Before You Speak . . .
“Before you speak, ask yourself if what you are going to say is true, is kind, is necessary, is helpful ...
Paying One’s Respects
It is something people don’t like to think about. Death, that is. One’s own death is only one part of ...
Living Forever (Past the Due Date)
Before I get into this subject, I have a disclaimer. I really want to live forever. But, as with all ...
Life is a Puzzle
Sometimes I think about life as if it were a puzzle. I’m sure most people can relate to this as ...
Writing One’s Own Obituary
Some years ago, I can’t remember exactly when, I was in a class or a workshop. One of the exercises ...
Finding One’s Joy
Joy is a worthy pursuit. Finding joy in this life, however, can be a challenge at times. We are daily ...
Life Is a Gift, Be a Gift
It is December again. It’s the 67th one of my life! That doesn’t seem possible. And yet, no matter what ...
Learning to Ride a Bike (a true story)
Many years ago, my 2nd grade daughter, was eager to learn to ride a bike. She was very independent and ...
Sometimes Things Just Don’t Turn Out the Way You Thought They Would
You could say that life has unintended consequences. I know that this is definitely true some of the time. But, ...
On Being a “Good Girl”
I just read an article in the New York Times (November 24, 2017) entitled, “When You Teach Girls to be ...
Gratitude in an Age of Self-Absorption
Have you ever observed people who are self-absorbed? They seem to spend most of their time pursuing self-gratification. It is ...
Mean-spiritedness
There is very little that can quickly upset me more than witnessing mean-spiritedness. Even if one dislikes another person, for ...
Getting Older/Passages
I have always been aware of the different stages of my life. Oddly enough, I never wished to be older ...
Never Stop Learning
One thing we can do for ourselves to enrich our lives, is to try and learn something new everyday. I ...
Making a Difference
I have always believed that we are all here for a reason. I am fond of saying that if we ...
Finding One’s Soulmate
I am honored and delighted, looking forward to witnessing the marriage of my niece soon. It causes me to reminisce ...
On Being Loyal
What does being loyal mean to you? Loyalty can be given to people, places, ideologies and causes. We can be ...
Love and Marriage (written October 6, 2017)
Well, today is my 44th Wedding Anniversary, so I thought I’d write about this experiment that some of us choose ...
Writer’s Block
When I was thinking about what I wanted to write about this week, nothing “grabbed me,” so to speak. I ...
I Hate Clutter
I absolutely hate clutter! So I ask myself, “Why do I live with so much of it?” My house is ...
I Don’t Want To Be Political
I do not want to be political. I prefer to stay out of political discussions, because at this time in ...
Colloquialisms
I decided to “look up” colloquialism to see how many definitions I could find. Merriam-Webster is always my first “go ...
We are ALL Needed to Make This World
It is so easy to judge. As people, we are pretty lax about giving value to things that we don’t ...
Selling One’s Self Short
It comes up in conversation. Recently, a friend and I were having lunch and the topic of young girl’s clothing ...
A Simpler Life
What does it mean to say “a simpler life?” Well, my main point of reference has always been my elders, ...
Do Unto Others (The Golden Rule)
Anyone who has ever had any religious training or even had a lesson on how one should deal with others, ...
A Message to My Friends: Sometimes I Talk Too Much
Sometimes, I talk way too much. Just adding a few words while someone is speaking, for verification, or even support, ...
Loss of Memory
I remember when remembering was not a problem for me. In fact, I had a fabulous memory. I could remember ...
Laughter Could Save Your Life (The Healing Power of Laughter)
Laughter has the power to heal. After researching this phenomenon, I found that an amazing amount of significant research has ...
Distractions
Ever since I acquired my cell phone, I have noticed how much it consumes the attention of everyone who has ...
The Art of Listening
Listening is a gift that humans can give to one another as a selfless act of love. I know a ...
Being Accountable
Being accountable. What does that mean today? Does it just mean showing up for your job on time and doing ...
Skin to Skin
If we are fortunate, we begin as babies, skin to skin, with our mother’s touch guiding us through the very ...
“That’s My Girl!” (On Unconditional Love)
I will always remember a dear friend of mine who once told me the story of her and her uncle ...
Thoughts on Retirement
I just retired from my “regular” job, the one where I punched in every morning and then punched out at ...
I Used to Think Tweeting Was Only For The Birds
It was not that long ago, that tweeting was something mostly associated with birds. Now it is primarily used to ...
A Successful Life
Success is a word that has multiple definitions. In the 21st century, many people think of success in monetary terms ...
Cleaning House (Detachment)
I have discovered something in my life that is giving me some peace of mind. Since I have become a ...
Writing as Therapy
There is a reason why journaling is therapeutic. The act of putting feelings into words, where they can be seen ...
Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
I don’t remember ever hearing the terms “critical thinking” or “problem solving” being used in my early education or even ...
Whatever Happened to Good Grammar?
What in the world has happened to good grammar? What do I mean by this statement? Let me explain. I ...
Body Language
Have you ever thought about just how much body language affects one’s communication with others? Having known and worked with ...
Excesses (Too Much Is Never Enough!)
Sometimes, a person that grows up without enough food, clothing, housing and other necessities might find that they “hunger” for ...
Negative Thought Replacement Therapy
A number of years ago, I came up with this idea of “negative thought replacement therapy.” I even had my ...
Poverty of the Soul
With hunger and need on one hand, and power and money on the other, which does one choose to focus ...
Active Listening
I remember the first time I heard the term, “active listening.” It was not something I had ever thought about ...
What Will We Leave Behind?
What will we leave behind when each of us leaves this life? When we ask ourselves this kind of question, ...
The Double Standard Is Alive And Well
As one looks at the events of the past year in the United States, it is painfully clear that ...
Tales of Destruction
Our world is filled with tales of destruction and we are riding on their tails, hanging on for dear life ...
The Art of Communicating Face-to-Face
In today’s society, people seem to be moving toward communication that does not require being in close proximity to one ...
Disrespect and Respect
Sometimes, I see the behavior of people around me, and I think, “Why is there so much disrespect in our ...
Watching Home Movies in Real Time
It has always amused me to see parents of newborns taking movies of their baby’s every move. Now, don’t get ...
“Aha” Moments
If you’ve ever had an”aha” moment, you know that it is unforgettable. The feeling is intoxicating! You will always remember ...
Sharing Feelings
Today, as I look around me at people and and their attitudes, I am reminded of myself as a child, ...
Random Thoughts As the New Year Begins
I am thinking about the past year and am trying to put together a perspective that remembers all of the ...
An Ode to Our Friend
Six days ago, my husband and I lost our dearest friend. Her name was Tiny and she loved us completely ...
Competition Is Not the Most Important Thing
Competition is not a bad thing. On the contrary, it can be a wonderful motivation for excellence. However, making everything ...
Some Thoughts for the Holiday Season
I am an idealist. I happen to be a Christian. I celebrate Christmas. My Jewish friends celebrate Hanukkah. My Muslim ...
The Need for Silence
There just might be something necessary in having “quiet time” in our lives. I have believed this for some time ...
Giving Thanks is the Key to Peace and Joy
When I think about all the deep unrest and fear in this world, I am reminded that one cannot hold ...
The Wonder of AWE
The word “awesome” is commonly used to describe something good, or really cool. However, “awe” can, and perhaps should, be ...
A Time For Peace
There are so many negative influences in our world. From simple disagreements to all out war and horrific acts of ...
Just Being There
There are times when “being there” for someone is the only thing that can be done to help another person ...
Laughing at my Jokes
One of my favorite things in life is making people laugh. I would have loved to do stand up, but ...
A World Without Cellphones
A world without cellphones is an inconceivable reality to any person under the age of thirty. You have to be ...
You Have the Memory, But You’ve Lost the Moment
“You have the memory, but you’ve lost the moment.” This is how a father of one of the students at ...
The Power of the Media
Never, in my youth, would I have believed that the media would become so powerful in the lives of people ...
Laughter is Contagious
Have you ever noticed how a person can laugh and it makes you want to join in the fun? You ...
Generousity
I was born into a generous family. My parents are generous people When I was growing up, they were generous ...
Media Addiction
Several months ago, my husband and I were the waiting room at our doctor’s office. As we looked around us, ...
Rudeness and Self-Involvement
There is no excuse for being rude. Being indignant for a good reason can even be acceptable, but rudeness has ...
The Indignities of Growing Old
I never truly realized that getting old would bring about so many undesirable changes in my body. Some of these ...
The Work Ethic or Lack of It
I can still remember, when I was growing up, the importance of work and doing a good job. People would ...
A Time to Ponder
Sometimes illness affords one a chance to ponder things. These thoughts, which we would otherwise not have time to think ...
Being Remembered
The way we live leaves an imprint on the people and circumstances we touch. Sometimes, like today, I realize that ...
The Danger of Profanity in Teens
I realize that my age has something to do with the way I feel about many issues. I suspect it ...
It’s a Social Problem
There is a problem in public education that has to do with casting blame on others for whatever is not ...
Where Will We Put Our Trash?
Every time I put the trash out, I feel guilty for adding to the enormous pits of refuse to be ...
The Power of Positive/Negative Thinking
I’m sure that everyone knows something about the power of positive and negative thinking in each of our own lives. But ...
English as a Second Language
In the United States, there are many opportunities to learn English in a class entitled, “English as a Second Language”, ...
The Blame Game
There is a game that is played everyday by masses of people in which nobody can win. It is called ...
Reciprocity
Reciprocity. I have always liked this word. I like the way it sounds and what it means. According to my ...
You Need to Learn to be Satisfied
“You need to learn to be satisfied.” This is something my father used to say. And it was not said ...
The “He Be,” “‘She Be,” “We Be’s’’
I don’t know if you have the experience of being within earshot of teenager’s street slang, but the use of ...
Fun is Fundamental
Fun is necessary to a well-balanced life. I learned this from my father. He planned his fun. He was the ...
Learning by Example
I have been thinking about the many different ways of learning. In modern educational systems, this ideology of learning styles ...
Hooked on Electronics
I have a prediction. Someday, most likely before I am gone, there will be a massive power outage, or a ...
Laughing at Oneself
The longer I live, the more I see the value of being able to laugh at myself. When I was ...
When I am Gone, I Want to be Missed
The goal of my life is simple. When I am gone, I want to be missed. I want to be ...
The Importance of Being Earnest and Telling the Truth
It is increasingly clear to me that lying has become an acceptable thing to do in our culture. People do ...
Beauty From the Inside Out
Did you ever notice how some people radiate a good and loving heart? It is like a benevolent feeling they ...
Entitlement Issues
There is something I witness, every day it seems, that really gets under my skin. It is the fact that ...
Friendliness
I can honestly say that I had no idea, when I was growing up, that being friendly would bring me ...
We Are All Connected
Did you know that, according to National Geographic News, “ skulls and DNA of human remains from around the world ...
You Don’t Have to Like Someone to Love Them
Now you may be saying to yourself, “How can I love a person who is mean to me or who ...
I’m Just an Aging Pollyanna
I am just an aging Pollyanna. At least I try to be. Sometimes I have difficulty seeing the bright side ...
Mixed Messages
I have observed disrespectful behavior in teenagers to a greater degree than ever before. And it is easy to blame ...
Laughter and Smiling
I can’t conceive of what life would be like without laughter. I don’t want to either. Life is too full ...
Sagging, Tattoos, and Other Things I Don’t Understand
I am getting old, and as I look at the trends around me, I am often puzzled. I work in ...
The Happiest Man I Have Ever Known
The happiest man I have ever known was my father. He died over twenty years ago, but I think of ...
On Pygmies, Aborigines and Other Indigenous Peoples
Many years ago I remember watching a documentary about Pygmies. There are many different tribes, from different places, and I ...
The Ones Who Came Before Us
Humans, as a species, have inhabited the Earth for millions of years. According to Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, ...
A Doggie Conversion
Two years ago, I became a dog owner. Up until then, I had no desire to have a pet because ...
Gratitude and Happiness
Everyday I thank God for the gift of gratitude, which is at the heart of happiness. This is one of ...
Bonding in the Bathroom Part 3
Part 3 of 3 Click here for Part 1 We had no idea what time it was. I looked through ...
Bonding in the Bathroom Part 2
Part 2 of 3 (click here for Part 1) We were stuck in the bathroom with a door that wouldn’t ...
Bonding in the Bathroom Part 1
I still having trouble believing that this really happened. Forgive me if this story jumps around a lot. There are ...
Just A Little Experiment
Some time ago, I was just thinking about the positive things that pop into my head whenever I am out and ...
Random Ramblings of a “Divergent Thinker”
Let me introduce myself. My name is Lora Marie. I am what my counselor calls a divergent thinker. My husband, ...
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