Exploring one of life's most valuable gifts
April 23 is World Book Day, an opportunity to reflect on the transformative power of stories. We’ve shared book recommendations in past blog posts, and in honor of World Book Day, we’d like to share a few good reads about friendships that transcend geography, generations, and even species. We invite you to join us this... Continue Reading →
Earlier this week, I was talking with a friend who has been actively involved for years with the Washington DC-based music non-profit Sitar Arts Center, which provides otherwise unavailable access to quality music education and fosters community. My friend was simply gushing about how enriching the experience of working with this organization has been for... 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 →
When I was a kid, I lived for gymnastics. While other neighborhood kids were running around swinging bats and throwing balls, I was climbing door jams and forward-rolling my way across the living room until my mom enrolled me in classes. I loved learning how to front- and back-handspring down an expanse of open floormat... Continue Reading →
In the rush of everyday life, interactions with others are often brief, and pass without much notice. Or the people around us become a source of frustration, causing us to think, “Why can’t they drive faster so I could have made that light?” or “Why is that person in front of me in the express... Continue Reading →
As I scrolled through social media recently, I found myself feeling shocked and angered by a friend's post that I perceived as deeply insensitive. She is not a friend I see every day and my first reaction was to stop following her. But then I took a deep breath and considered how well-intentioned this friend... Continue Reading →
Every year on March 8th, International Women’s Day (IWD) serves as a powerful reminder of the progress women and girls have made in many areas of life. And it's an opportunity to celebrate achievements and raise awareness about the challenges women still face. Started in the early 20th century as part of the labor movement,... Continue Reading →
Reviews on Goodreads and other book-oriented websites are always helpful when I'm trying to choose my latest reading material, but we've said it before and we'll say it again: our best source for discovering interesting and enjoyable books is always through word of mouth. Friends, family, neighbors, co-workers and other connections are great sources of... Continue Reading →
February and love have been closely linked for nearly 2,000 years. In the 1960s we started recognizing February as American Heart Month, and in recent decades, libraries jumped on the theme of the month, declaring February 'Library Lovers Month'. I discovered this lesser-known milestone on a recent visit to my town’s public library. As I... Continue Reading →
It’s been over sixty years since February first became American Heart Month and since then it's become celebrated around the world. With cardiovascular diseases responsible for one in five deaths in the United States according to the CDC, creating heart healthy habits throughout our lifetimes is important. Like many things, being heart healthy can be... Continue Reading →
Language of Friendship 