Relationships

papillon214 by valérie kuki 13637978174_2999e0a3f0_o.jpg

Of Gifts, Witnessing and Time Immemorial …

Each of our daughters has provided me a unique gift with the presence of their lives in mine. Our eldest, a twenty-six year old senior law student exemplifies the epitome of loyalty.

That she chose to move back home and resume living in her old room while attending

law school touched me greatly. It gave me the invaluable

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Cala Lily #1 byDoug Leany--13680974944_19e1ed7344_o.jpg

Of Being Needed, Appreciation and Matilda …

“I don’t need you. You need me. … I’m the mother. You’re the child.”

My mother’s statement to men when I was around ten or eleven years old echoed those of Danny DaVito, who played the father of the character, Matilda, played by Mara Wilson in the movie, Matilda.

“I’m big, you’re small. I’m strong, you’re weak. You need me. I don’t need you.”

My mothers’s words hurt.

Not until now

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Generosity by Altaher Altabet 4933479162_ab1634f736_o

Of Altruism, Old Age, and The Circle of Life …

Generosity of spirit requires trust–faith that what you give will be received and appreciated and /or conveys assistance or good, and belief that in giving you will not go lacking.

Certainly we must give within our means, not more than we can afford. Altruism does not ask that we put ourselves at risk. To do that places us in a position to lack the ability to give in the future. And no one wants that.

And yet we cannot always wait until comfort

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"Cairns Esplanade" by earthly magic 12694401395_b32df10b4e_k

Of Mothers, Daughters and Generosity of Spirit …

My mother taught me many things about love. One is that love allows one to step outside of her or himself and see the other person’s perspective, particularly if that other person is your child.

As women we are expected to make room for everyone at the table even if that means we do not get to sit down.

As a woman, who is also the mother of three daughters, my

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by earthly magic--13322139325_72b3fb9886_o

Of Ambivalence, Loss, and What Seemed Retribution …

My greatest fear as my mother’s daughter was not that I would die, but rather that I would live.

It takes strength to live, courage to wake up each day and face someone that you are so unsure of.

You do not know whether they love you, and yet they say they do.

This is the ambiguity that leads to the

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#2 by earthly magic--12852709404_b52f5aaf00_o

Of A Jeep Wranger, Corporal Punishment and Compassion …

The weekend following the accident my daughter would tell me of how on his arrival, the woman’s husband offered to and helped my daughter move the boxes of books, copies of my novels, from the back of my SUV, its back window blown out by the impact of the crash, into the trunk of my daughter’s car.

The woman, by then had

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