One of my lovely nieces introduced me to Storyworth when she mentioned giving a subscription to her mom as a present. An online service, Storyworth sends subscribers weekly questions by email to stimulate memories of their lives. Once they respond to the prompts, their anecdotes are saved to their account and after 52 weeks printed […]
WORLD BOOK DAY 2024
“Books open the world for us; they are an incalculable, immeasurable gift,” wrote Khaled Hosseini in defence of The Kite Runner, which joined a growing list of titles ‘under review’ or challenged by school boards in the U.S. On World Book Day I recommend several books that entertained and/or enlightened me this past year. FICTION […]
THE RIGHT TIME
Last fall Glen and I made a momentous decision to sell our second home in Arizona. Gulp! We did not reach this decision easily. It followed much deliberation, debate, discussion — in a context of sadness. Although we accepted it was the right move, we felt bereft at the prospect of closing the door to […]
SAY NO TO NEGATIVITY
As the end of 2023 approaches, I set a guiding principle for next year: say no to negativity. That doesn’t mean I will no longer read the glut of negative news; I still want to be a member of an informed public. It means I will try to limit my negative thinking, to subdue the […]
HEAD OR HEART?
In this post, guest writer Barbara Richardson discusses her bold and brave decision to introduce a puppy to her life. I love dogs. I bought a Labrador puppy when my son was nine as a companion for us when we moved to Kenya more than 20 years ago. We loved Rafiki (‘friend’ in Swahili) for […]
LIBRARIES FOR LIFE
The only thing you absolutely have to know is the location of the library.” Albert Einstein (1879-1955) October is Canadian Library Month, when libraries and their partners raise awareness of the vital role libraries play in society. They’re free, welcoming, comprehensive and open to all. This year’s theme: Libraries for Life. Once upon a time […]
DATE YOURSELF
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) Given my title, you may think this post will be about conversations in which you date yourself by revealing, intentionally or not, your age or generation. No. It’s about inviting yourself on a solo date and then doing what’s necessary to ensure a fine time. […]
INTERGENERATIONAL INFLUENCE
Several years ago a brother suggested I write about controversial topics so I did, in a post on discounts for seniors. These days I am preoccupied with the word “woke”. African Americans first used “woke” to mean being informed and conscious of racial inequality and social injustice. The slang word gained popularity since the Black […]
SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS
We know of Mother’s and Father’s Days but how about National Siblings Day, observed annually on April 10th since 1995? Just as we do not choose our parents, we have no say about siblings. My mom and dad had seven children. At the time we weren’t unusual in this large number; when we moved to […]
NOSTALGIA IS NICE
In the past I attended, even organized, family reunions and in my job at Bishop’s University alumni gatherings. It never occurred to me to get involved in a high school reunion, in a city I’d not lived in for decades with people I’d not seen for as many years. But after friends from my youth […]