Newest Blog Entries RSS

Neither of us is a technological whiz. What an understatement! We know what we have to know to do our writing, Zoom, use our Smartphones to email and text with friends and family. In Margaret’s case, she can operate certain tools to tutor virtually. Barbara can use a tablet to enlarge and see photographs well for her watercolor paintings. Before the pandemic, we both would say frequently, “We hate technology” or “It’s definitely not our friend,” as one person we knew urged us to do, as we fumbled to learn a new technique or download an app.  However, during the...

On her website for her Born This Way Foundation, singer Lady Gaga posted a challenge to BeKind21 and practice kindness toward yourself and others each day, from September 1 to September 21. We jump at the chance to be kind every day but especially now since it’s right after the Jewish New Year when we are thinking more about doing good deeds for others and trying to be better people.  The pandemic has upended many people’s lives with deaths of loved ones, illness, loss of jobs, separation from family and friends, heartache and great stress. It’s difficult to feel good and giving....

Estelle the ballerina  As a young married woman Estelle with grandkids and great grandchildren celebrating her 99th birthday Estelle, with first-born great grandchild, getting her sugar fix and loving every bite  “You are so lucky. She lived such a long life” became an all too familiar comment from friends and family when my mother passed away last fall at almost 101 years of age. Yes, she had died far older than almost everyone I personally knew and much older than most of my friends’ parents. However, in the time she grew older, I had often read obituaries of men and...

Looking down on my new city from a 7th floor perch on the Upper West Side, I turn my head to the left and see across the Hudson River to New Jersey. I turn my head to the right and glimpse the New York City skyline rising like Oz in the distance. It’s a glittering reminder of why so many people want to live here. After moving to NYC from St. Louis, MO., in September of 2019, I discover quickly this is a city that cries out: what you see is what you get so deal with it. Here, the stocking...

When we each have learned that friends and family were ill, sometimes seriously, or if they passed away, we knew how to act. We might send a stack of magazines, a few books, lovely cards with handwritten notes, and in the case of death, a donation and food. We used to attend services when permissible before COVID-19 struck.  However, we’ve been stumped about what to do or how to react when a family member announces that someone is going into hospice, the path many take when there is no more that can be done medically and the road to death...