Writing about death is intimate. More personal than writing about sex, your bank balance, or whatever “stayed in Las Vegas.” Beginning Tuesday, October 12, 2021, I will teach a 7-week writing course for The School of American Thanatology. My classes will blend practical writing tips and guided imagery exercises toward authenticity, vulnerability, and effective writing […]
An act of humility transforms Olympic sports when Simone Biles, the world’s most decorated female gymnast, bowed out of the uneven bars and vault events due to severe mental stress and concerns about personal safety. Certain that her condition would result in competitive loss, she made way for her team to step up and to […]
I needed a poke in the back. I always thought my father’s lack of attention was benign. However, my dad never said, “I love you,” and rarely interacted with us. After work he’d head to his bedroom to eat and watch the Mike Douglas Show alone. But really, compared to addiction, womanizing or cruelty, my […]
When my inner world gets crowded with hobgoblins (and they’re coming in from all sides these days), I know that, just like the season, this, too, will pass. Meanwhile, be a positive force for others. Create present good. Go pumpkin picking. We need a mental health break. At a U-pick farm, we march into orange […]
Here’s a novel thought for getting along. Let’s stop the name-calling and making assumptions about each other’s character. No good comes from labels like “deplorables,” “baby killers,” or “socialists.” Sure, it’s on TV all the time where our mommies and daddies of political leadership set a bad example, but let’s be the kids who decide […]