When I was a new nurse my first job was working in a long term care facility. I love older people but much of the time my heart ached for my patients, who were almost all over 90 years old and had some degree of dementia. If there could be said to be one recurring theme it was this: they all missed their mothers.

One of my patients was 107 years old. This was in 1992, so she had been born in 1885. Supposing her mother had been at least 20 when my patient was born, we are talking about…

I am blessed to have so many wonderful friends in my life, people who sustain me with laughter and encouragement and love. But, I guess because I am human, it is one who is missing that often occupies my thoughts and my wishes for things to be different.

I first met my friend Sheila in my capacity as a La Leche League leader. It was more than thirty years ago that I received a routine phone call from a mom who had a breastfeeding question. It turned out we had much in common…

Well, the biggest mistakes I made were all pretty big and pretty dramatic. The best things I have done pale in comparison, mostly rather small and practical, but things that have helped all the same.

Best Thing #1: Writing my Blogs

Hands down, the best thing I’ve ever done for myself, period.

I have been writing since I was old enough to know what it meant, but I never made the time or had the courage to put it out there. Oh, in high…