I was selling a bedroom set on Facebook Marketplace, and someone attempted to scam me. I’ve sold over a hundred items, ranging from motorized items to earrings, on this platform over the years, and I've never had a bad experience. This one involved payment, extensive texting with the buyer, and a phone call with a customer service agent who requested that I send $500.00 to the … [Read more...]
Newspaper Column, "Mental Matters" published each Wednesday in the South Platte Sentinel Health Section
A great book is a friend
Two friends have gifted me with non-fiction books recently. Last week I mentioned Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese. The second, very different, but also excellent, is Theo of Golden by Allen Levi. When I was down to the last twenty-five pages, I went to a restaurant because I didn’t want to finish it alone. I’m sure the waiter was worried about me, because my best … [Read more...]
Just tell the truth
I just finished 736 pages of The Covenant of Water, by Abraham Verghese. It is a historical fiction spanning three generations of a Malayali family living in southeast India from 1900 to 1977. It is such a good read for many reasons, but other than his magical spinning of history and family dynamics, I admired the interwoven wisdom. One theme was lies and secrets. Last … [Read more...]
What cures and purifies your soul?
I’m not sure why I’m surprised every time a new month, like August, shows up when I open my computer to write a weekly article. Doing the math, it’s only 140 days, or 20 weeks, or 3,360 hours until Christmas Day. The older I get, the faster the years go by and the slower the days pass. Whatever the date, the week, or the hour, what I know for sure is that my most precious … [Read more...]
The weight of hate hinders every step forward
One of the greatest understatements of our time, of all time, probably, is, “Life is an experience.” With significant and minuscule happenings each day, we encounter new, routine, and repeated lessons. Today, I’m thinking about the word hate. If the word feels uncomfortable, substitute it with dislike. I experienced hate, defined as “intense or passionate dislike,” … [Read more...]
Together, we survived the adversity — magic
This past week, I had my thirteen-year-old grandson in NYC. Yes, I’m a little old to be so bold. He knew it was an educational trip, so each night I asked him what he learned. His answers were fun and funny because what he learned was usually not on my radar. For example, on the first day, he said, “I learned the airport is slightly built on the water.” I said, “It is?” It … [Read more...]
Extremes, are not where mental health thrives
Recently, the topics of my column have centered on managing stress, fear, and the unknown. Our political sunrises and sunsets have been difficult for many. Usually, we don’t know what’s changing, and what does is nothing we anticipated. It’s essential to acknowledge our emotions—feelings are genuine, and people approach life in different ways. Even if we agree with … [Read more...]
Fear is real—don’t let it move in
July 10, 2025. Isn’t it curious how a date can trigger a mind to wander? The days come, and the years go, and before we know it, we are six months and ten days into a quarter of this century. How does that happen? I remember the eve of 2000 when we thought nothing would be normal again. Fear was the basis of that event: fear of the world being in chaos due to computer … [Read more...]
Honoring our Red, White, and Blue
I love America — unconditionally. Yes, I see flaws; we all have flaws, but she still wins the top prize for the grandest place to live. On the 7th, I am taking my thirteen-year-old grandson to New York City for his “Grandma trip.” Two granddaughters made the same destination choice in the past. I didn’t try to persuade him to go somewhere else because New York City is my … [Read more...]
Little children show us how
I’m sitting in a restaurant as I write this column—the most interesting and insightful of settings. I see couples, families with young children, seeming friends, and servers scurrying and accommodating. I see nobody else sitting alone with their companion computer, as I am. It’s sad to say that I’m having more conversations than many couples. They are staring at their phone … [Read more...]
Tell your stories — write them — share them
I found a new home. No, not the kind with four walls and a roof, but one with like-minded individuals who believe in the value of stories. It’s called The Moth, and I recently witnessed their awesomeness while attending Who Do You Think You Are at the Boulder Chautauqua Theater. The Moth is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling—my true … [Read more...]
Sometimes, we relearn what we already know
I’m an aging Pollyanna, meaning I want to believe all is good and great or sweet and easy. It isn’t. However, I am glad that most of the time, I try to find the light above the drama, trauma, and chaos. Jennifer Goble (Courtesy photo) However, sometimes I don’t always succeed. Most of the obstacles are from my upbringing. A house full of six females and a dad who joined the … [Read more...]
Disturbing vs. peaceful
It’s been an interesting week with conversations about Judaism, antisemitism, and Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), plus an uplifting lecture on how to write orchestra music from nature. Thank goodness I walked off the progression of taxing my mental and emotional capabilities in the rainy 10K Bolder Boulder on Memorial Day. While wondering why I set an alarm and … [Read more...]
Love what you do, do what you love
I just learned that my grandson, Ryder, signed up to play basketball and study business at Ouachita University in Arkansas. Isn’t it interesting how good news about someone you love and care about is as good as when great things happen to you? It’s an honorable human characteristic. As I write this, I am so happy, excited, and grateful for him. The most excellent … [Read more...]
Look up and around
I stare at this blank screen as the Sentinel submission deadline nears, and all that comes to mind to share with you, my kind readers, is in my future. I usually write about something that happened during the week or something I learned years ago. Today, my mind focuses on the future, which is good. How often do you get stuck in the past? Did you or someone else say or do … [Read more...]