Exploring one of life's most valuable gifts
Spring is my favorite season, but it can also be a stressful season for me. While I love the longer days and seeing flowers budding on the trees, it seems the commitments tend to stack up as well. This May I have two university reunions, a destination wedding, and one milestone birthday celebration in my... Continue Reading →
As Sara wrote last week, winter has a way of narrowing our worlds, with cold days and dark nights making cozying up on the sofa with a blanket preferable to venturing out. I also find this season invites reflection. While I’ve settled into a post-holiday routine, I’m still thinking about the year ahead and how... Continue Reading →
If you've ever wondered why female friendships can sometimes feel so messy and complicated when compared to male relationships, you may be interested in reading friendship coach Danielle Bayard Jackson's new book on the subject entitled Fighting for Our Friendships: The Science and Art of Conflict and Connection in Women's Relationships. I became curious about... Continue Reading →
Podcasting seems to have taken over from talk radio as the primary outlet for listening to long-form entertainment and news. Many popular personalities--including Oprah Winfrey and Julia Louis-Dreyfus--have migrated to the medium to interview guests, tell stories and explore topics ranging from unsolved mysteries to menopause. Early on, even Julia and I tried to integrate... Continue Reading →
Since last spring I’ve been helping my 18-year-old son navigate the college admissions journey. In many ways, I’m better equipped than most parents since I’ve worked for and with universities, so I know a lot about the vagaries of the admissions process. However, those same qualifications created a bit of hubris in the approach I... Continue Reading →
Mother’s Day is one of those holidays that elicits the range of emotions. Some people consider it a Hallmark holiday designed to pressure us into buying gifts, creating Instagram-worthy visuals and artificial moments. Others are reminded of painful losses, or relationships that never quite measured up to expectations. At the same time, those of us... Continue Reading →
As we look toward the holidays, our focus often shifts to reconnecting with longtime friends and family. This holiday season, I challenge you to also remember to focus on the day-to-day connections that sometimes get overlooked or underappreciated, but can really make a difference in your own life or to someone else’s. What do I... Continue Reading →
As Rachel prepared for her weekly radio show Harmonic Ginger, she knew she was in trouble. Her positive Covid test was not the problem, because she knew how to upload her playlist and pre-recorded vocals from isolation at home using her own computer and microphone. It was when her voice disappeared entirely that Rachel realized... Continue Reading →
“The intention of deep listening and loving speech is to restore communications, because once communication is restored, everything is possible.”Thich Nhat Hanh I'll bet that you can relate to this scenario: It’s a beautiful Saturday fall morning. You are sitting across from a close friend in an outdoor café, thrilled to be catching up in... Continue Reading →
Have you ever wondered whatever happened to that overachieving kid from your freshman dorm? Or what about that sorority girl who could plan the biggest campus fundraiser of the year, while maintaining a 4.0 GPA and dating the hot frat guy? Well, Hana Schank and Elizabeth Wallace did, and they turned their quest for answers... Continue Reading →
Language of Friendship 