Aging has allowed me daily periods of quiet contemplation without any twinges of guilt. In the mornings, caressing a mug of coffee with just a touch of cream, I find my favorite chair and sit and let the silence wash over me. I release my mind from its work cage and let it …
A few years ago, I went to a three-day workshop on the strategies of negotiation. On the first day, I was told that in life and in business, you receive not what you deserve, but what you negotiate. After learning some ways of being crafty, almost deceptive, the class split …
As a youth, the word kindness bugged me. It sounded grandmotherly, even a bit unmasculine. I’d rather people think of me as showing toughness or courageousness. And, if someone bestowed kindness on me, I’d think I must be weak or needy. Last week, while in line at a …
I used to get dressed up for work: suit, shirt and tie — the whole big shebang. My closet had all kinds of mix and matches. Ties were my specialty. I had well over 100 in all colors. Thin ones when they were in, wide ones when they took over. Times change. Months went by …
There is one adventurous trip I often take now that I am in my 70s that I did not experience in my younger years. I call it my walk-in closet stroll. My closet is a destination I’ve visited several times each day in previous years for obvious reasons, say, to pick out a …
Certain little moments of joy stay with me for my lifetime. Jerry Dahl was a grade school buddy who lived about 10 blocks from Saint Cecilia School. I’d walk him home and go up to his room, which was in the attic. As with many Catholic families of the ‘50s, Jerry had a bunch …
I’ve been going to the same grocery store for over 10 years, often having the pleasure of Amy helping me bag my groceries. When I first met Amy, I could tell she was struggling with her job, but she stayed with it. Frequent customers were kind and patient, even if the line …
Love comes in many forms. Billy Bragg was our long-haired German Shepherd who led his pack for many years. He loved us dearly and showed it by giving us kisses on the face. However, Billy never learned the “art of the smooch.” He’d lead with his teeth. He made every effort …
I have a pretty shoddy record when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. What I’m very best at is making them. Last year, I bought a leather-bound notebook with rich-looking silver pages inside. While at Office Depot, I discovered a fountain pen, nestled in silk lining in one …
You know how it feels when you visit friends you haven’t seen for years, and by golly, they look so much different than you remembered? Yet, when you see a friend almost every day, it’s hard to detect how he or she has aged at all. It’s the same with yourself. I don’t notice …
