Blog | SUZETTE MARTINEZ STANDRING

Healing the unsaid with the dead

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Suzette Standring

[Photo taken in 1973 of Suzette and her father, Steve Martinez, who passed away in 1982.] Lately memories of loved ones, now gone, are tinged with “I wish I told them [fill in the blank].” Recently, I had the chance. A meditative exercise is designed to heal the unsaid with direct conversation. I tried it with my father who died…

To “Won’t Voters”: Spare me your impotent morality

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Suzette Standring

To the “Won’t Voters” who claim conscience and will refrain from voting: Spare me your impotent morality. On Nov. 9, if the new president horrifies you, it’s on you. I’m voting for Hillary Clinton because she represents reason. Don’t parrot about her emails. That is nothing compared to Trump’s boasts of sexual assault, stiffing companies and employees, paying no taxes,…

Election: Do past screw-ups totally define us?

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Suzette Standring

While an election apology may lead to forgiveness, neither one erases consequences, especially in the digital age when the mistakes of ten, 20, even 40 years ago can be dredged up to fresh outrage. Redemption is truly the Lord’s, because nobody has a chance in hell with people. The presidential campaign is a criminal kangaroo court run amok. Accusations and…

No Religion: Numbers are growing

Posted on October 13, 2016 by Suzette Standring

“I don’t need religion,” says a growing number of the religiously unaffiliated. Mention the Bible, and a younger generation tunes out. Outdated. Irrelevant. Yet hope, acceptance, forgiveness and finding ways to love the unloveable are the basis of Jesus’s message. But who’s reading that anymore? A recent 2016 survey says that 39% of those polled between ages 18-29 are religiously unaffiliated…

Am I ever enough? Choices without fear

Posted on September 15, 2016 by Suzette Standring

New school and work schedules surge forward. Goals. Deadlines. Kids. Get involved. Socials. Volunteerism. We go from the sunburn of summer to the burnout of busyness that fall brings. A question nags, “Am I ever enough?” Arguably, women are more apt to wonder. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that in 2014, 83% of women do the housework, in addition…