Love Scored a Touchdown
The week of Thanksgiving is upon us and our thoughts turn to turkey, pumpkin pies, family gatherings and … football—ew! Sorry, football fans. I couldn’t restrain myself. To me, football seems … well … brutish. Don, my partner, who just so happens to be a former football coach (go figure), tells me I’m suffering from […]
The Latest Wow: “Get over it!” Really?
According to the late theologian Paul Tillich, “The first duty of love is to listen.” I rank listening right up there at the top of requirements for a well-running relationship. This includes love partnerships, parent-child relationships, friendships … you name it. Listening is a lot bigger than the mere act of hearing with our ears. […]
Don’t Settle for a Ho-hum Life
At a young age, we begin the habit of limping in order to harmonize with friends, our family, a job, a social order. By the time we’re adults, it’s become so much a part of us that we do it unthinkingly—automatically. To stop doing it now would be jolting because we’re used to it. But […]
You Always Hurt the One You Love
Walls go up around the heart when we’re treated harshly. Eventually, bitterness replaces the tender love that was once there. Claire was starting to feel that way toward her husband, Joe, when she sought my help. “He’s constantly critical and demeaning to me!” she said. “It has to change! I’m too miserable to have it […]
The Latest Wow: Man Objects to Being Eye Candy
Here’s one man’s response to my post “The Latest Wow: He Says ‘No’ to Sex” “I know I’m in the minority, but I don’t like being a magnet for women. My physical appearance isn’t who I am … it’s not how I know myself. Before a relationship even gets off the ground I want to […]
Call It a Relationship Virus
I’ve written about Beth and Sam before (on 2/7/13 and 3/21/13). After divorcing Sam, Beth decided she didn’t really want to leave him after all. Within a few months they were back together. When I asked her what changed her mind, she said, “I’ve discovered that anger fades a lot faster than love.” Today, they’re still […]
A Girl Needs Her Dad
It’s doubtful that many fathers realize how important they are. I don’t question it. As a daughter, I have firsthand experience, and as a counselor, I’m reminded on a regular basis of a father’s immense impact . . . . continue Happy Father’s Day! Do you have a favorite story to share about your dad? […]
A Boy Needs His Dad
From the moment a boy separates from his mother’s placenta, the journey with his father begins. It’s a connection as vitally important to his growth—from an infant to a man—as the umbilical cord has been to his development. Continue . . . We can forget just how vitally important fathers are in the lives of […]
Apologies That Mean Something
Ever receive one of those hollow-eyed, flat apologies? You know … the mechanical kind that lack any substance. Yes, we all know what it’s like, and we all know what we want instead. Tracy and a few others do, and here are their stories. Read them here.
Contemplations: The Real Reason We Grieve
“We don’t grieve to distance ourselves from a loved one. We grieve so that they become a part of our heart.” Wise words from my dear friend, Pat, as she fought (and ultimately lost) her battle with breast cancer. I miss you, Pat.