There are few things I hate more than being lost. Intense panic sets in when I'm somewhere unfamiliar, and it’s so distasteful I will avoid it at all costs. I was born with the worst sense of direction in all of human history. I can get lost getting out of a paper bag. Which was why, as I was sliding down a hill, my rear end feeling every pine cone and small pebble, I had to … [Read more...]
My First Movie Date With My Son (Hopefully it Won’t Be My Last)
“Mom, this was the first time you and I ever saw a movie alone, just the two of us.” “No, that can’t be? Are you sure?” I was watching my 18-year-old son, coffee cup in his hand, looking up at me between bites of his doughnut. We decided to grab a snack before heading home after watching Hidden Figures. Wasn’t it just yesterday that I would walk him in his stroller to … [Read more...]
Enjoying the Here and Now With My 17-Year-Old
About a week before Christmas, my 10-year-old came off the bus and told me he was very sad. When I asked him why, he told me that it was because it was almost Christmas, and that meant that all the things he loved about the holiday season -- the music, parties, and presents -- would soon be over. When I relayed the story back to my mother, she laughed and said, “Wow, he … [Read more...]
Tis the Season for Thanks & Lipstick
It’s November and Thanksgiving is only weeks away. Magazines, talk shows, and blogs are about to be filled with people eloquently sharing what means the most to them and their lives this holiday season. Because the bulk of my writing is about my family, some people will assume that they are what comes to mind whenever I think about the things I’m grateful for. But they … [Read more...]
Together Again
Last August, my son Tom and I walked out of his counselor’s office happy that he got every class and teacher he wanted for his sophomore year in high school. He even got into a film class, which he was really excited about. Our joy was short-lived though when school started two weeks later, and it turned out that his second period class was not the right section of Spanish. … [Read more...]
