One of coolest things I ever did was design a Nature Writing Class for Eckerd College. We held class outdoors in nature preserves all over the county. My aim was to help […]
Hack Your Mood With Two Surprisingly Simple Tools
Don’t Look Back
There was once a time when I did not live without the specter of illness around every corner? I lived a life that wasn’t conditional on the spread of a virus? I spent almost five decades making plans that weren’t likely to be cancelled anywhere, any time, with little notice, because of a nasal-swabbed test result? Could it be true?
Does Magic the Therapy Horse Really Care About People?
Debbie Garcia-Bengochea, the bestselling author of Mini Horses, Mighty Hope and cofounder of Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses, recently sat down with me for a special episode of the This Animal Life […]
Giving Thanks for the Modern Medical Miracle of DBS
One thing people might not know about Parkinson’s is how difficult it is to diagnose. The early symptoms of Parkinson’s—shakiness, muscle stiffness, impaired balance, and depression—are common to myriad illnesses and begin […]
Positive
Anxiety . . . is an illness of “what-ifs.” The mind takes the most minuscule threat and blows it up to–not even huge proportions, just unrealistically large ones.
A Drop in the Ocean
Of course, there is no way I am going to fix a fractured world. There is no way I am going to fix even a fraction of it. But as Mother Teresa says, “We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” Accepting that my contribution will be only a drop, the question becomes “where in the ocean will my drop fall?”
Vaccinated
I’d rather place my bets on the medical community being right than thinking a wild virus that’s killed over half a million Americans is perfectly survivable.
The Insider: A Gloom of One’s Own
“The neighbors lost their white cat,” my husband said, “maybe you could keep an eye out for it.” “Sure,” I said, “if it walks by the couch, I’ll certainly alert someone.” The […]
What it’s Like to Get a COVID-19 Vaccine at a FEMA Site
We were in and out in under 45 minutes. My best friend and I, visiting the new FEMA site set up for mass vaccinations. Here’s what we learned.
7 Reasons Dog Tricks Can Save Your Life
They say depression has tripled in the United States since the start of the pandemic, with corresponding increases in suicide rates, domestic abuse, and addictions. If you’re feeling down or even desperate, and scrolling through puppy pictures just isn’t enough for you, consider teaching a dog a trick. And here’s why:
The Gloria Sirens 