“We Shall Overcome!” These stirring words of hope and resilience spoken by Martin Luther King still ring true in speeches and song today. As you know, the term ‘Resilience’ refers to the ability to overcome significant adversities which may occur in one’s life. You yourself may have suffered early life difficulties, or experienced […]
Kudos and Critics: The Pleasure and Pain of Writing Writing has been a rewarding avocation of mine for most of my life (by ‘rewarding’ I refer to emotional fulfillment, rather than financial). It has never been my primary profession and I don’t pretend to be a supremely gifted writer, but writing has always […]
No matter what culture or ethnic group, grandparents are usually adored by their grandchildren. They are addressed with special “sweet” names, common in every different culture, but they are more than merely unique: They inherently embody affection and convey cherished bonds of deep love. (Some examples are Zaidie/Bubbie, Awa/Tata, Grandmere/Grandpere, Abuelo/Abuela, Yeye/Nainai, Nonna/Nonno, […]
Canada and the United States: Different Peas in a Pod During these surreal times, there have been increased tensions between the United States and Canada, the country of my birth. There has been growing unease expressed by Canadians about their southern neighbors (neighbours in Canada!), especially since Donald Trump became President. As a “dual citizen” […]
During times of intense social confusion, dissatisfaction and unrest – not unlike the world we now inhabit – many people are drawn to passionate authoritarian leaders who promise security and stability, relief from worries and fears, and punitive actions against dangerous “others.” Some of their supporters are respectable citizens and armchair acolytes, politically conservative voters, […]
When my late father Mike came to these shores from Lithuania as a young man about a century ago, he was a penniless, uneducated immigrant. But when he died at age 91 he had left a meaningful imprint on this world, a Positive Emotional Footprint. Considering the adversities he had endured, I often wondered how he […]
The scourge of the coronavirus pandemic has descended upon us. At this very moment in time, well over seven billion human beings throughout our tiny planet are all being sorely tested: Our lives have been upended, our behaviors modified, our thoughts preoccupied, our moods labile, our relationships difficult and our outlooks more uncertain. We are […]
Even as a child during Halloween “Trick or Treating,” I felt uncomfortable wearing a mask on my face. That was admittedly a long time ago. Fast forward to the current coronavirus pandemic, when I and many others now wear this designated apparel regularly, especially when crowds are milling about or in stores or areas which […]
Pandemic or “Plandemic”: True Believers and Conspiracy Theories A neighbor of mine is a respected professional whom I’ve known for over twenty years. We are not close friends, but we have pleasant conversations. While on an isolated walk during the coronavirus pandemic and quarantine, I saw him in the distance and we […]
“You Don’t Know What You’ve Got ‘Til It’s Gone” “Don’t it always seem to go, you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone!” That wonderful lyric, from Joni Mitchell’s classic song from the Sixties (“You Pave Paradise, You Put Up A Parking Lot”), is especially timely now. It comes to mind […]