Herman the Avocado Tree
Before my 80-year-old neighbor, Phyllis, moved into a home, she gave all of her plants to neighbors and friends. Ol’ Phyllis had obviously done that 5thgrade science thing where you stick an avocado pit in a glass of water then replant it when its roots start to grow. What she handed me looked like Charlie […]
Safe, Not Stuck: Embracing Lack of Change
As I ponder the start to the new year, at first, I feel sorry for myself. I make the foolish, painful mistake of comparing myself to others and focusing on what’s missing in my life instead of all the good things I have. It can be all too easy to go down this path. […]
Being Happy with What Is
Recently, a friend gave me a book whose core message was to appreciate what we have, instead of always focusing on having more and being more. My first reaction: Pissed. The author is wealthy. Easy to be happy with what you have when you’re sitting on piles of dough. The writer goes on to say […]
The Big Duh
I was visiting a quaint, historical city with my friend Suzanne, who had just slept over 10 hours that night. Although she had managed to control the urge to check her Blackberry for most of ourbrief vacation, she made the mistake of sneaking a quick peek. “Ugh, I’m so exhausted; I hardly got any […]
The “Poor Me” Post-it
Plucky and freckled, my neighbor Lana is a young Irish gal who’s always making wisecracks and is quick to lend a helping hand. Lana grew up poor, raised by a quirky single mom whom she says dated men “with more criminal charges than teeth.” To help make ends meet, Lana’s mom would take her daughters dumpster […]
Tribes and Tribulations
As I sat watching the victory parade for the San Francisco Giants, it hit me strongly how tribal we still are. Today, our tribes may be those with the same skin color, religion, economic level, or favorite sports team, but we still perpetuate the age-old mentality of “it’s my people versus yours.” We want to […]
