“Good morning Emma,” I greeted Miss Independence as she ran from her bedroom and into the new day. “How are you?” I inquired. “I’m three,” she responded. Now that was actually a more precise description than anything my vacationing granddaughter could have told me about her health or her welfare. ... Read More
Courage to Pedal Home
It was a summer Saturday morning when I decided last minute to run for the Mother of the Year—well not exactly run—but bike. After breakfast, it dawned on me that just down the hill my oldest son was participating in a triathlon. With the duel motivation of giving motherly support and also getting ... Read More
Christmas Eve Instruction on Finding the Perfect Gift – Perfectionism and Step 1-3
If I wasn’t “finishing up” at Target or All-A-Dollar or Kmart at 5:45 on Christmas Eve, I guess the season wouldn’t be quite the same. On December 24, 2002 I was given the following insight. It has made a difference in every Christmas Eve thereafter. Exhausted and touching on frantic, I completed ... Read More
“Surprise! Life IS Unmanageable!” Step 1
Step 1 challenges me to see that my life “has become unmanageable.” I actually find it helpful to acknowledge that my life IS and has always been unmanageable. No matter how hard I try to keep all my ducks in a row, sometime during the day they all go waddling off in strange unpredictable ... Read More
“I Know Because My Mother Tried” – Step 1 Honesty
Tonight my daughter and I were having the usual, “How was your day?” exchange over the telephone. I told her my day was great and then I added my predictable un-recovered, perfectionist addendum, some comment about something I hadn’t accomplished. She replied musically, using a phrase from a Michael ... Read More
The Foundation of All Aftercare – Step 1
Last year I accompanied my nephew, Jonathan, to the hospital and waited while he had surgery on the collarbone he broke playing Ultimate Frisbee the first week of the new semester at the university. When the surgery was complete the doctor came in, showed me the x-ray of his mended bone, which was ... Read More
Christmas Eve Instruction on Finding the Perfect Gift – Step 1, 2, 3, and Perfectionism
If I wasn’t “finishing up” at Target or All-A-Dollar or Kmart at 5:45 on Christmas Eve I guess the season wouldn’t be quite the same. One December 24, 2002 I was given the following insight. It has made a difference in every Christmas Eve thereafter. Exhausted and touching on frantic, I completed ... Read More
His “Master-piece!” Steps 1,2, and 3
Outside my fifth grade classroom door, in the hall, there was a glass case on the wall dedicated to showing off exceptional work from students in our room. Every Friday afternoon was devoted to “art” and after our projects were completed the very best were selected, placed in the glass case, and ... Read More