I used to feel like I had things hanging over my head. I knew I would feel better when the tasks were complete, and the longer I put them off, the heavier they would get. Recently I was working on organizing my storage room. I was motivated to get it done so that I would […]
Where I live in upcountry Maui now, I have the biggest garden I have ever had, and it takes lots of attention. Even with two people who help me, the tasks seem never ending. I am not complaining, however, because the rewards are worth all the time it takes. I grow tropical flowers, fruit trees, […]
Often, I hear that people think we must get over grief. I disagree. I see grief as something that starts with the realization of the major changes that come with the transitions you experience. Though there is a time that you realize you are grieving, chances are there won’t be a time that you say, […]
When I talk to people who are grieving, I often see they aren’t smiling. Actually, most people who I talk to are not smiling at first. Thinking about this led me to wonder how much better we all could feel if we just remember to smile. Think about all the things you could smile about […]
Have you experienced talking yourself out of doing something you would love to do because you are grieving? We all do that at some point – even when we’re not grieving. Early in grief, people may hesitate to invite you to their party, to dinner, or even for a walk. They talk themselves out of […]
Are you afraid? Most of us have some kind of fear. When you identify what’s causing you to fear something, you can choose to do something about it or let it go. Does this sound familiar? “I’d love to spend more time with ___, but she’s so busy. I don’t want to bother her.” The […]
My father, Thomas Orville Lofton, served in the US Army during World War II. He never talked to me about his war experience, but I knew it affected him profoundly because he spent the rest of his life serving veterans. He became very involved in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW, so my mother became […]
Anymore when I am out in public, I find myself on high alert because it seems that everyone around me is looking down at their phones. They are so engrossed that if I don’t watch out, they will walk right into me and get exasperated that I was in their way. I am sure they […]
When my brother-in-law died in his 50’s, I saw a significant change in my sister. Observing her, I saw the balloon of her happiness deflate. She became addicted to watching television and allowed the rest of her life float by as she sat in her recliner. A few years later, a medical emergency hospitalized her, […]
I remember in 1965 Burt Bacharach released the song What The World Needs Now. He wrote it as the Vietnam War was raging. I remember those times when the flower children gathered to sing folksongs about peace and happiness. The yearning for love in the world brought people together in a positive way. You’d think […]
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