Exploring one of life's most valuable gifts
On July 4th the community of Highland Park was attacked by gunfire. The reactions to the sudden violence and terror in this suburban Chicago community range from shock to sadness, and fear to anger. In the past decade, this kind of violence has become more common, and our collective response has been a futile attempt... Continue Reading →
Good friends follow you anywhere. Winnie the Pooh I love to travel and can’t remember a time when the anticipation of a trip didn’t make my days a little brighter. Growing up in the Southeastern United States far from extended family meant annual summer road trips to see them in New England. While our destination... Continue Reading →
“Plant the garden of your life with friendship’s lovely flowers.”Unknown Spending my childhood in Virginia and Kentucky, I grew to love the many beautiful flowers and trees in my yards. Our house in Arlington was lined with colorful azalea bushes, and I found comfort in the dogwood and magnolia trees with their trusty blooms each... Continue Reading →
Looking back on the trajectory of girls’ participation in sports this Women’s History Month, we are amazed at how things have changed since Title IX was enacted 50 years ago. Sara shared in an earlier post that we were part of the first girls’ soccer team at our high school back in the 1980s, when... Continue Reading →
In the spirit of Women's History Month, we have decided to profile a few female entrepreneurs we admire, and who are already making history with the new products and services they offer that transform how people work, shop and even breastfeed! Mamava's mission to transform the way our society views breastfeeding has become a reality... Continue Reading →
“Adulthood is too serious. I miss stupid. I need stupid. Being stupid with your friends is guaranteed happiness.” Billy Baker Reaching out to friends is a central theme of Billy Baker’s 2021 book, We Need to Hang Out. Baker is a Boston Globe staff writer who was asked by his editor a few years ago to... Continue Reading →
Last Sunday I returned from a 4-day gathering with extended family in Colorado to mark my brother’s milestone birthday. I had looked forward to this weekend for months as I rarely get several days with my siblings and cousins without kids in tow, and I love the outdoors. All ingredients for a fun getaway, except... Continue Reading →
Brené Brown seems to be everywhere these days. She’s written five #1 New York Times bestsellers and appeared in her own Netflix special. She hosts two popular podcasts and has an 8-episode series in the works with HBO Max. Clearly, the Houston-based shame and vulnerability researcher has tapped into a public need to hear what... Continue Reading →
"The willingness to show up changes us. It makes us a little braver each time." Bréne Brown Near midnight December 10th, a powerful tornado tore through an area of Western Kentucky, destroying homes a quarter-mile from where my childhood friend Michele’s mom lives. With sudden, devastating loss like this, our natural inclination is to help,... Continue Reading →
When my sister and I were growing up, our mom strongly encouraged us to get involved in causes and communities that were meaningful to us. For my mom, helping others was important, but she also knew that the act of giving results in many clear benefits for the giver as well. My mom's views on... Continue Reading →
Language of Friendship 