Every Sunday the Grief and Happiness Alliance meets on Zoom to write, do happiness practices, and make friends. Last Sunday we wrote about tears. Rev Rachel Hollander, who is the President of The Grief and Happiness Alliance Nonprofit Organization, wrote this piece that touched me, so I asked if I could share it as the […]
Read MoreI was just reading about a woman devastated by grief. For the first year, she couldn’t smile or laugh. Her body hurt. Her heart hurt. Breathing hurt. She had no interest in anything even if it was something she had loved before. She had memory challenges. Food didn’t interest her. He weight dropped significantly. She […]
Read MoreAs I watch all the beautiful birds fly around my yard in the morning, they seem especially cheerful today. The sky is blue. The temperature is a balmy 70 degrees. The water in the fountain trickles. And I feel so good, so positive. How are you this early spring? Are you taking good care of […]
Read MoreI was talking to a friend who told me how important it was for her to make people happy. She always appears happy to me, but I discovered today that deep down she’s not, and she doesn’t really want anyone to know. This led us to a long conversation where I realized I was like […]
Read MoreMost of my life I had no idea what unconditional love was. I hadn’t thought much about love in general. I knew my parents loved me, but many times it seemed conditional. The first time I thought I fell in love, I realized that we could only be in love if I was perfect […]
Read MoreMy amazing granddaughter, Katie Thiroux, is a fabulous Jazz Singer and upright bass musician and is loved by all-time jazz great Quincy Jones who calls her “Katie-Toes.”. Quincy told her “Be prepared for the opportunities you want. Don’t wait.” Her response to this sage advice is “It’s not about perfection, it’s about being ready IN […]
Read MoreWhen I was in high school, the Vietnam War was raging. I lived in my small hometown of Porterville, California. Our town had more war deaths per capita than any other community in the country. When a model of the Vietnam Memorial was created to take around the country, that journey was started in Porterville. […]
Read MoreSometimes out of the blue, you’ll hear a song or smell a fragrance that reminds you of your loved one and the tears start. You may find yourself saying “Am I ever going to get over this? Will a time come when I don’t get blindsided by a remark someone makes that reminds me of […]
Read MoreA new pet has adopted me. I probably wouldn’t have chosen him. He just ended up in my yard and decided it was the place for him to be. My son even named him Rodney the Rooster. Roosters are ubiquitous in Hawaii. You’ll see them at airports, in parking lots, and at outdoor restaurants. Unfortunately, […]
Read More