This week, I visited with friends I’ve not connected with in a long while. After catching up on kids, grandkids, dogs, and travel, we talked about the weirdness of being old/older. We said things like, “How is it possible?” “I don’t feel old.” “When did it happen?” “Just yesterday, I was young.” And the topic continued as we talked about younger family, friends and classmates … [Read more...]
Newspaper Column, "Mental Matters" published each Wednesday in the South Platte Sentinel Health Section
Less is More
As I open my laptop in anticipation of another Friday deadline, the date tells me it’s time again for VALENTINE’S DAY?—oh no—the hype, opportunity, anticipation, stress, and expectations. How can a person win? I think the expression Less is More applies to February 14th. In curiosity, I looked up the saying. It’s not original to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a German architect, … [Read more...]
Lacking peace of mind
We all share whatever comes next in the daily American political story. We ask Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? The division among us, I believe, largely stems from our sources of information. I often find myself questioning the location and foundation of others’ beliefs and suspect they do the same to me, highlighting a core obstacle to understanding. We all think we’re … [Read more...]
What pet peeves contribute to your disturbing list?
Do you have pet peeves? I have two: lying and trash. I wonder why people lie, and why they choose to leave trash in their paths? Obviously, people lie for many reasons. Probably the most common is not to get punished for something they’ve done. I understand telling a lie if your life is in danger. An example is the three-year-old in the cookie jar. Their little concrete … [Read more...]
Let’s not disappoint
Warren Buffett, long known for his decency, wrote, “Kindness is costless but also priceless,” in a recent letter, and a friend included it in her New Year’s card to me: “Whether you’re religious or not, it’s hard to beat The Golden Rule as a guide to behavior.” There has been so much going on nationally, and kindness doesn’t seem to be the theme in much of it. I thought that … [Read more...]
It’s about your staying power
Many of us started this new year with a resolution to change something for self-improvement. It’s no secret that change is difficult. It’s a challenge to give up old habits: daily routines, eating foods high in fat, sugar, and salt, unhealthy or unfulfilling friendships, negative TV, empty or harmful social media, impulsive spending, and the list goes on. Change can be … [Read more...]
Carry the good feelings forward
I’m writing this before Christmas, so I apologize for the outdated subject, but I can’t help but wish the spirit of Christmas lasts all year, or at least through the often dreary days of January. I’m just talking about the joy. For whatever the individual reasons, people smile more, acknowledge each other more pleasantly, walk with a little skip in their step, and seem to … [Read more...]
Start with love behind your eyes
It’s always good to start a new year with new thoughts, goals, and words. My new thoughts: I’m not old; I’m just lucky to be here still and able to connect the dots between the past and present, and to forgive myself for never going anywhere without forgetting something. Shift thoughts—isn’t that what I always tell you? Of course, it’s easier said than done. I also want to … [Read more...]
Time for coffee?
I’m looking forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus—Happy Birthday, Jesus. For anyone who is taking the time to read this on Christmas Eve, thank you. I’m humbled. I am feeling inadequate to find an exciting, informative, or inspirational topic, so I’ll chat as if I’m at your kitchen table. What do I do for Christmas? I will go to church tonight, as it is early … [Read more...]
The greatest of these is the present
I once worked with a man who said, “I played in the band for Elvis, how can I ever do anything better than that?” In essence, he was saying he reached the epitome of being a musician, now what? He was lost, depressed, and every gig he played left him feeling empty and disappointed. He reached the top of his dreams before he was thirty. He needed new dreams. The same … [Read more...]
Expect nothing but enjoy everything
While reminiscing, I found my first South Platte Sentinel article, published on December 17th, 2010. Following is my edited, hopefully still-relevant message from fifteen years ago. Retired from 20+ years of mental health counseling this past June, and missing being involved in the mental health profession, I am now trying to create a setting where I can continue to help, … [Read more...]
Twenty-one days until Christmas
I felt a twinge of stress when I wrote the title for this article: “Twenty-one days until Christmas.” December 25th should, would, and could be the joy of baking, the process of shopping and wrapping, and the excitement of friends and family getting together—all in anticipation of what we imagine as the most fantastic day of the year. Unfortunately, on Christmas day, we … [Read more...]
What’s with the Christmas rush?
I just returned from Tulsa, OK, where I watched my grandson play two basketball games. Priceless. We went to lunch, and in the restaurant's lobby stood a tall, beautifully adorned Christmas tree, complete with exquisitely wrapped gifts. Driving back into Sterling, I saw a house decorated with Christmas lights and another with a decorated tree in the window. The dash to … [Read more...]
Don’t fail because you don’t
Opening my email this morning, this headline shone brightly on my screen: She hiked the entire Appalachian Trail at 80, unaware she’d just made history. It continued: “We put all kinds of limitations on ourselves,” said Betty Kellenberger. “Sometimes the biggest one is we don’t get up and try it.” Don’t you love that? And, isn’t it the truth? Betty Kellenberger’s story … [Read more...]
It’s free and never wears out
Do you have a happy place? You know, the place where you feel safe and connected to yourself. The place where smiles come easily, gratitude overflows, and your best friend is you. If you don’t know your happy place, you need to find it, feel it, and go there often. We all need a place where the conversations we have with ourselves are truthful, loving, and personal. It’s in … [Read more...]