Aging with Grace

Words matter, and the right words matter most of all. They’re all that remains of us. John Birmingham Words matter. We’ve heard this before, however it might be worth taking another look at. It’s so easy, in a time of excitement or anger, to say something we later regret. There are lines from the Norah […]

My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant to be your own person, to be independent. Ruth Bader Ginsburg My grandmother was a grand lady. She was a liberal Republican. Yes, Virginia, long, long ago where was such a thing. When I’m faced with a decision, I remember her advice. […]

We spend the first half of our lives accumulating things and the last half giving them away. Author Unknown Several years go, as I was moving into a smaller living space, I rented storage for things I thought I should keep. After a year, I realized I hadn’t looked at or needed anything I was paying […]

I hold that a strongly marked personality can influence descendants for generations. Beatrix Potter When I read this quote, I thought about something different. I did not grow up with my French heritage as an influence in my life. My parents were divorced when I was very young. I did not spend any time with […]

It is quality rather than quantity that matters. Lucius Annaeus Seneca The above was often quoted by my Grandmother in regard  to buying, absolutely, anything.  She believed I should buy the best that I could afford. Her reasoning was that, over time, it made more sense to have something that would last than to spend […]

America the Beautiful. Lyrics: Katherine Bates Music: Samuel A. Ward This photo was taken a couple of years ago at a Fourth of July concert. I love the enthusiasm of this elderly man waving the flag. For me, it is what the holiday is all about. A birthday celebration for our Country. It’s not about […]

Not my circus, not my monkeys. Polish Proverb  I have this proverb, as wallpaper, on my iPhone. The moment I read it, I could relate. Even though experience has taught me better, when I see someone or something with a problem, I want to fix it.  During my career in management, there were many things […]

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving. Albert Einstein I wasn’t worried about being bored when I retired. My list of what I want to do, each day, is usually left unfinished. There are mundane things like, doing the laundry or cleaning the house that fill the day. […]

Most of us are great with change, as long as it was our idea. Still Life Louise Penny A dear friend gave me the first book in the Inspector Gamache series, by Louise Penny, for my birthday, this year. I immediately fell in love and have read  twelve of the fourteen books in the series. […]

She did not think he deserved the compliment of rational opposition. Sense and Sensibility Jane Austin   I find as I become older I am less inclined engage in discussions I realize will go nowhere. Someone with more time than I can wage this war. You’ve probably been there. You’re talking to someone who you realize […]