A Nightly Ritual When I was in junior high, I wrote in a fake leather diary with a bold warning on the cover ‘Top Secret.’ Protected with only a flimsy lock, I took extra security measures to hide it in the back of my underwear drawer. To read it now, makes me laugh, then cringe, then cry. So much unnecessary…
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The 7th Inning Stretch
A lifetime ago, the favorite part of my marketing job was presenting. In front of a team of evaluators, I confidently explained my company’s software proposal. Someone else handled the technical aspects while I negotiated terms and made promises others had to keep. What a dream arrangement. Oh… and I paid for lunch. Later with young kids at home, I presented…
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The Crazy Makers
Divide and conquer was a parenting strategy Doug and I used when our kids were young. It worked well in our family of four. One parent focused on one kid, the other parent, the other kid. Individual attention maximized, and necessary compromise minimized. Since we know the clock is ticking for our kids willingness, this past week we took it…
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I Dare You
The pandemic has been center stage for what seems like forever. Over fifteen months ago, we first heard about a novel coronavirus. No one could have anticipated what has happened since. Pause and consider the sweeping changes we’ve had to wade through. (death, hospitalizations, sickness, lockdowns, masks, social distancing, civil unrest, isolation from loved ones, online school, impact to kids,…
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A House of Cards
Have you ever resisted trying something that someone recommended to you? Perhaps a dear friend suggests you talk to a counselor. Or maybe your spouse recommends you see a doctor. Or your sister wants you to attend a class on grief. What if someone you love and trust suggests something and adds…. I think it would be “good for you.”…
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