Once upon a time when I was a young mom, three ugly but invisible ingredients converged on me right in the middle of my kitchen. Isolation, worry, and failure to live up to my own expectations. They all collided and stirred up a toxic cocktail I never wanted to drink. I’d never felt anything like it before. My head knew it was unreasonable, but my grown-up pep talk did nothing to settle my nausea, calm my breathing, or strengthen my legs. With my kids eating lunch at the table, I collapsed … [Read more...]
The Truly Good Father
It sounds almost the same in Latin based languages. It’s the language of a baby, or perhaps a toddler. One repeated syllable packed with endearment. Dada, in English. Pappa, in Afrikaans. Taata, in Lugandan. Abba, in Hebrew. It's one of the first words spoken by a child to one of the most familiar faces in his small circle of recognition. A baby knows nothing of where Dada works or what he does when he’s not at home. A toddler has no capacity to understand accounts … [Read more...]
In the Dark
Recently I watched a moving Under Armor commercial featuring the most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps. I might have even cried a tear (one that I could not even manufacture when my youngest went to kindergarten.) Can you imagine your own commercial? I tried: Do you need help agonizing over small decisions? With decades of experience, Shauna will systematically help you formulate such a long list of pros and cons that you will forget what you were trying to … [Read more...]
Zooming In: On Magnifying Mirrors and Mountains
Kurt and I recently stayed in a pretty swanky hotel. We were swimming in “amenities” we didn’t even know how to use: For the safe keeping of my Walmart jewelry, there was a safe which I couldn’t open. There was also a spa and fitness room which we never found. But there was one “amenity” that was familiar. There on the bathroom vanity, towering over the travel size toiletries was a lighted, double-sided magnifying mirror. You know the kind? Where you have to lean in 3 inches from the mirror … [Read more...]
All I Want for Christmas
It came up again last week at bedtime. A gift from the past: hand print snow man ornament. “Mom, what do you want for Christmas?” I could not think of one reasonable thing to say. A few years ago Zach asked me this same question, and I was ready with a completely practical idea. “You know what I really want? A pair of really warm pajamas.” He looked at me in disbelief, and exhaled an incredulous, “Phfffffff!” My request didn’t even warrant a real word. I got … [Read more...]
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