I’ve had one and only one goal for the last two weeks—house-training a three-pound puppy. My online class said never to use the kennel as punishment and always reward after each successful “potty.” It also said to remember “I” am the boss. I’m becoming less enamored with the puppy and the training. What the experts claimed isn’t applicable when it comes to Lucy. She uses her … [Read more...]
Newspaper Column, "Mental Matters" published each Wednesday in the South Platte Sentinel Health Section
Week one with puppy Lucy
I walked into the Kennel on August 10th and found Lucy, my new ShihTzu puppy, in a crate waiting for me to take her home. She was lying on a small blanket, and when she looked up at me with her little black eyes, I had a new understanding of love at first sight. After one week, I am entertained and exhausted instead of lonely and bored. Backing up a bit, I prepared for … [Read more...]
Thoughts on words and life
Jennifer Goble A simple quote passing through Facebook resonated with me: The wrong people will find you in peace and leave you in pieces. The right people will find you in pieces and lead you to peace. One important word in the quote is “find.” Similar to life’s lessons, we usually don’t shop for relationships; they often find us—they show up, develop, or fade away. It’s true, … [Read more...]
Guilt is expensive
Dear Abby, who died at 94, once wrote: “If we could sell our experiences for what they cost us, we’d all be millionaires.” I believe she is referring to what we have done or not done that we regret—the things that churn in our belly and wake us in the night. Guilt is one of our nastiest emotions. It is right up there with jealousy. The cost of guilt to our mental health … [Read more...]
Mix in a little healing honey
Dear friends, I came to you today with a cast on my right wrist because I fell like a ton of bricks on the 23rd of July. As I watched my grandsons maneuver the high elements at an adventure park, I had no idea what unique skills I had, but I suddenly fell to the right onto the blacktop. Five of the sweetest grandchildren in the world and one grand-dog spent a chunk of time … [Read more...]
When all else fails, HUG A DOG
Last week I wrote about my long days and nights and admitted to claiming the word “bored.” I solved that problem and gave my heart to a dog—Lucy. I don’t have her yet because she isn’t old enough to leave her mama, but I am busy preparing for her homecoming. The pet store overwhelmed me. I could not believe the choices of dry and wet dog food, leashes, beds, harnesses, toys, … [Read more...]
Mental Matters: Bored
I need a plan — how about you? As I look at the date on this article, I think, OMGoodness — it will be Christmas soon. The Hallmark channel has reruns of Christmas movies, and a store last week had a sign at the entrance: 174 days until Christmas. On this day of publication, it is 168 days until Dec. 25. UGH! The older I get, the faster the years fly and the slower the … [Read more...]
I choose Maverick over Parker
This week I watched two movies: Elvis and Top Gun: Maverick. One left me sad and the other exhausted—both had exceptional acting and good yet opposite examples of tenacity and determination. Elvis had a true villain, and Top Gun: Maverick a hero, but both made me think about the fine line between success and failure. In Elvis, Tom Hanks played Presley’s manager Colonel Tom … [Read more...]
Kindness and patience—refreshing
Life’s lessons come to us often unexpected and uninvited. So do blessings. I received one recently in an hour, and all I did was show up and pay attention. It began after the usher guided me to a pew. A woman welcomed the congregation and said she especially wanted to include families with small children. She said, “Noise from our little ones adds much to our spiritual … [Read more...]
Summoned to honor
June is nearly over, and we celebrate the Fourth of July this coming week. I enjoy most holidays, but especially the day when red, white, and blue inundate my vision. Being in the presence of a high American spirit makes me smile all day. Between Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and now Independence Day, I get national reminders to elevate my levels of gratitude for the who, what, … [Read more...]
It takes courage to live
Walt Disney said: “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” I might alter what he said and change the word all to most because some dreams can be unrealistic and therefore unattainable. I like the way Disney thinks, though. Mark Twain said: “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.” What takes courage is often … [Read more...]
Recognition and appreciation to fatherhood
George Washington, the first President of the United States, is revered as the father of our country. What made him such a great “father”? He was determined to be a great leader; he never gave up, took charge, served his country relentlessly, and put his country before himself. At eleven, he lost his father and became a ward of his brother, Lawrence. He did not raise natural … [Read more...]
Some gave all, all gave some
Jennifer Goble On Memorial Day, I listened to a song by Billy Ray Cyrus called Some Gave All. It touched me because I understood—my dad was a WWII Purple Heart, and boys in my high school class went to war in Vietnam. Many came home from the war but died from their action in the war. I didn’t walk the Bolder Boulder this year, but I missed having my dad’s name on the back of my … [Read more...]
Let’s laugh together as we begin this beautiful month
Humor is one thing I have found that helps my mental health—especially when I laugh at myself. As I get older, I find laughing is more effective than criticism, apologies, excuses, or trying to pretend I didn’t notice. On this first day of June, I thought you might enjoy a collection of quotes on the humor (or trauma) of aging. There is nothing wrong with crying, but … [Read more...]
People in concentration camps found hope—so can we
Jennifer Goble Hope is fundamental to our daily needs. Emily Dickinson wrote, “‘Hope’ is the thing with feathers.” Wings help a bird rise to safety, have fun, fulfill a purpose, enjoy friends, and gain a broad picture of the world. Hope does the same for us humans. Without hope, we risk its opposite, hopelessness—a shallow, disparaging place. People can feel hopeless when … [Read more...]