There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots; the other, wings. Hodding Carter The summer before his senior year of high school, my son told me he and a friend wanted to fly to an FAA Fly-In at Yellowstone National Park. He wasn’t talking about booking a seat on…

Forgive yourself for the decisions you have made, the ones you still call mistakes when you truck them in at night. Sarah Kay I’ve been thinking about forgiveness. Actually, I’ve been thinking about forgiving ourselves. In my late 30’s and early 40’s, I took myriads of classes and read stacks of books relating to spiritual…

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. Henry Ford I am all for staying young for as long as possible. I believe, in many ways, it’s a state of mind. You’ve probably heard the old cliche, “You’re as old as you feel.” I would say,…

Lighten up, just enjoy life, smile more, laugh more and don’t get so worked up about things. Kennth Branagh Just enjoy life. Often easier said than done. Too often, other thoughts get in the way. We start to worry about a myriad of things, money, family problems, our health  and suddenly our day is ruined.…

Every neighborhood should have a great lady Jane Austen If you notice an abundance of Jane Austen in my writing it’s because I admire her artistry  and I recently bought a book of quotes from her work. She was a successful author at a time when it was not an easy thing for a women…

The height of sophistication is simplicity. Claire Luce Booth This quote was in my planner for April. It might sound like a contradiction, I don’t believe it is. It’s about not trying too hard, not over doing it, not caring so much about what other people think. Sophistication, I think, is about being comfortable with…

Despite the forecast, live like it’s spring. Lily Pulitzer Spring is slow to arrive in our part of the country. We are still dealing with cold temperatures and random snow showers. This morning, I noticed some bulbs ready to bloom and trees are beginning to bud. A positive sign of things to come.  I always…

Tomorrow is often the busiest day of the week. Spanish Proverb Procrastination is, without a doubt, one of my biggest vices.I have no problem overlooking something I planned to do today until tomorrow or next week. Without much effort I can easily postpone it until next month. Once I decide to do it I find …

Manners are a sensitive awareness of the feelings of others. If you have that awareness, you have good manners, no matter what fork you use. Emily Post I am, constantly, amazed at the lack of civility in today’s world. Much of society acts as though they were raised by wild animals. If we were taught…