In the elevators of my office building, there are always posters announcing various events or providing timely information. And then there is one poster that seems to speak directly to me. It captures my attention every time I ride up or down. In fact, as the posters rotate weekly, it’s become almost my compulsion to… Continue reading Soft Reminders

With all the beds full at my house this holiday season—which is the only gift a mother could really want—our home has been a whirlwind. Some of that activity has been remarkably not festive: Closets have been reorganized; Goodwill piles have grown. Yesterday, while vacuuming ceiling fans in a room that was forgotten, the power… Continue reading Rolling Blackouts

I spent Saturday morning searching through bins in the attic for a particular photograph. My memories of the day it was taken are so vivid. The leaves had started to fall on campus, and my college boyfriend, armed with his new Nikon camera, wanted me to be his model. Because it was the 1980s, my… Continue reading The Girl in the Picture

Reflecting on the death of Queen Elizabeth, the British-American author Andrew Sullivan wrote how “staggeringly rare [the Queen’s] level of self-restraint is today. Narcissism is everywhere. Every feeling we have is bound to be expressed. Self-revelation, transparency, authenticity — these are our values.” Reality TV comes to mind. Just because I can watch pimples being… Continue reading Her Majesty’s Remotes

People probably find my family odd for many reasons, not the least of which is that we name our cars. I felt a bit vindicated upon reading that 60 percent of Americans view a car as a member of their family, and just as many name them. When you consider how much time you spend… Continue reading The Chair

I confess to a weakness for estate sales. Perhaps it’s the writer in me that is fascinated by the myriad of eclectic treasures one can find. Strolling through an estate sale is like wandering through the years of someone’s life: wondering where they acquired this particular piece of art, pondering what types of outdoor dinner… Continue reading Blessings of an Asparagus Plate

It can be difficult to walk on sand. The ground seems to be constantly shifting, sinking, challenging my ankles. A week at the beach, my “happy place,” has always been the highlight of our family’s year. The naturally healing, exfoliating saltwater not only soothes our bodies; it recharges our batteries and offers a prime venue… Continue reading Happy Place

As a young teen, I was equal parts fascinated and horrified by a girl (I’ll call her Sally) in our church youth group who was a few years older. She did not attend regularly—something our parents took umbrage at. We came to find out that one reason behind her spotty attendance was her work schedule.… Continue reading Going Bowling

The last two weeks have taken our collective American breath away. No, I’m not referring to the Johnny Depp-Amber Heard trial, sensational and juicy as that is. I’m referring to Uvalde, Texas. I have forced myself to watch all the coverage of the 19 precious fourth graders, and I’ve let the tears come. Just like… Continue reading Bracha Levatla

Decades ago, as a young working mother, I was always trying to cram 25 hours into every single day. I felt as if I was always shortchanging someone—a client, a colleague, my husband, or, most importantly, my kids. One morning as I was driving to preschool, my toddler daughter Anna suddenly squealed from her car… Continue reading Two funerals and a tree