Salee Reese

“How Do I Fix Us?”

“Why am I the last to find out? I didn’t know my wife was unhappy. She never told me!” I had to tell him the truth. “Yes, she did, Todd. There were clues. You just weren’t seeing them.” Beth had grown quiet and distant in his presence. In contrast, she was lively and talkative around […]

Love’s Magic

The heart is a weapon of mass construction. A light bulb finally turned on in my head one day. It was the wiser part of me saying: Okay, Salee, if you’re brilliant enough to know something isn’t right, then you should be brilliant enough to do something about it. In other words: Speak up! I’ve learned […]

Gifts that Endure

A gift is defined by how it impacts the heart.  Sadly, we’re hypnotized by ad campaigns that tie the act of gift-giving to the act of spending money. In fact, the more money spent, the greater the perceived value of the gift—and the greater proof of love. Something has definitely gone awry when the measure […]

Real Strength

I like what Sydney Harris, the late American journalist, had to say: “People who are proud of being brutally frank rarely admit they are more gratified by the brutality than by the frankness.” Personally, I don’t think there’s anything admirable about stomping on someone’s dignity. It’s easy to be offensive and degrading. It’s much more […]

Ooooo … when love blooms!

Is your brain marinating in a cocktail of hormones and giddiness? If so, it’s probably love . . . new love! New love is the budding stage of something potentially profound between two people. And just as a flower bud is fragile, the same is true of love. Both must be treated with tender loving […]

Furry Love

I must share a story about Nora and her best friend, Monty. Monty, you see, is a dog, a chocolate lab who has lived a full life. He’s twelve, which I hear is equivalent to age 89 in people years. For several months, Monty’s health has been on the decline. And because he requires a great […]

You Create Your World

  So You Create Your thoughts are setting the stage for things to come. As you think, so you create. If you believe your dreams are attainable, so you create. If you anticipate failure, so you create. If you imagine being smiled at tomorrow, so you create. If you predict rejection, so you create. If you […]

Be Brave and Speak Up

  Ever find yourself in the midst of a group of people engaged in a bashfest? Some unfortunate individual is being maligned or trashed behind their back. What to do? Join in to feel a part of things? Or stand there, silently uncomfortable? Either choice makes our soul uneasy. It feels like we’re participating in a […]

Love is the Force

“I want her to know she can come to me.” Ben was referring to his twelve-year-old daughter, Madison. He sought my advice because 1) he’s concerned about her grades and 2) he realizes his approach is alienating her. When Ben talks to Madison about her grades, he doesn’t talk. He yells and puts her down. […]

Love Can’t Thrive in a Cage

  “If you really love me, you’ll be true to yourself!” Say that to your partner and watch their jaw drop to the floor. Why? Because we usually get the opposite message: “If you really love me, you’ll do what I want. You’ll do back flips—on the ceiling!—to please me.” Has anyone ever tried to […]