It’s the holiday season again. Once again we are inundated with red and green colored everything, cinnamon-scented scenery, and ringing bells. As we cruise the aisles of shopping malls, the sounds of the season assault our eardrums. For some this is pleasant. Others, not so much. As a child, I looked forward to the holiday…
Author: Shell
December Is For Remembering
December is a mere week away. Where has 2018 gone? I’m sure there are so many asking that question as the year draws to a close. We had high hopes for the year. Have we met our goals? December is for remembering and reappraising. The holidays cause us to reminisce about days gone by many…
Making Thanksgiving Gravy
I made my first Thanksgiving dinner when I was a teenager. My mother and siblings had gone to visit relatives in Milwaukee and spend the holiday with them. By choice, I remained home with my father and his friend, Frank. I felt important being able to cook Thanksgiving dinner for them. Because I was already…
Finding Peace In An Uncomfortable World
Our world has become an uncomfortable place. I can’t remember life ever being comfortable, but within the last few years, it seems to be crazier than ever. Peace is hard to find. Violence erupts in unexpected places. Children are disappearing. “Road Rage” is a real thing. Politics sets everyone on edge. Even the weather is…
On Being Judged
One of the hardest things many of us have dealt with is the feeling of being judged. Whether the judgment is justified or not, being in the hot seat is extremely uncomfortable. Our reactions differ upon finding ourselves judged by others. Throughout my life, I have dealt with judgment. Of course, I don’t feel any…
What Happens to Children When Parents Separate
Many times when couples separate they often come into the fight with hate in their heart. In the beginning, theirs was the love of a lifetime. But, it turned into a nightmare to match a horror movie. What happened? How do things come to this point? When did it switch from “hurry home” to “get…
Eating The Emptiness Away
Do you find yourself eating when you aren’t hungry? Is stress a trigger for you to run to the cupboard to find comfort food? Do you suddenly realize you are eating when you are already so full you could burst? These describe me to the letter. Tonight as I sit here at the keyboard I…
Healing Through Creative Means
As an empath, it’s not unusual for me to pick up a lot of emotional baggage from other people. The world we live in is not a healthy place for empaths anymore. While we are quickly dragged down, creative efforts can help us heal. “Empath” is considered a “new age” term and most new age…
Unfriended!
Twenty years ago nobody would have a clue what the word “unfriended” meant. Social media had not yet become the bulk of our lives. Our friends were the people we grew up with or the neighbors next door. However, in this new cruel, cold world, being unfriended often brings doubt about self-worth. Friends on our…
Love Isn’t Our Needs Or Wants
Is there a perfect description of “love”? Or, do we see love through rose-colored lenses? Is our definition of love based on our needs and wants? When someone is unable to love as expected, can we say he doesn’t love at all? In my experience when I hear a person use the phrase, “you don’t…