Category: Diane’s Voice

Lessons from Nana

By Diane Masiello on April 1, 2020 • ( 1 Comment )

In 1918, my great-grandmother, Frances Pengelski, was married with two babies under two years old, living in relative poverty in Brooklyn. I was fortunate to know my nana well. The year I […]

Cherish, Dream, Live

By Diane Masiello on March 4, 2020 • ( 2 Comments )

I have been in absolute panic mode now for almost a full week. The health scares in the news are perfectly designed to hit dead-center in the Venn diagram that comprise my […]

Five Things Driving Has Taught Me About How to Take Things Less Personally

By Diane Masiello on February 12, 2020 • ( 7 Comments )

When I drive, I tend not to take things personally. Interestingly, my practice in doing this on the road translates very well into how not to take things personally in my life.

On Breaks and Connections

By Diane Masiello on January 8, 2020 • ( 14 Comments )

This week the kids went back to school after our beautifully long winter break, and I’m drowning in silence. I miss them. It’s hard, after the house has been full of joy, […]

Christmas is Coming, But It’s Not Here Yet

By Diane Masiello on December 11, 2019 • ( 4 Comments )

Last week I said I’d write about my favorite Christmas traditions (plural), but when I started writing about my favorite one it took over this whole post. The tradition: Advent. Now, I […]

Christmas Magic: Three Caveats From An Elf

By Diane Masiello on December 4, 2019 • ( 17 Comments )

For adults, the holiday season is not an easy one at the best of times. Around Thanksgiving, the pressure starts to make this time “perfect” for ourselves and those around us–especially those […]

Thanksgiving

By Diane Masiello on November 20, 2019 • ( 1 Comment )

It seems almost impossible to be thankful when everything is falling apart around us. . . . Yet conventional wisdom tells us, “It’s not happy people who are grateful. It’s grateful people who are happy.” Interestingly, recent scientific research backs this up.