January 2021 Photo:altanaka This January marks the 10th month that my husband and I have been quarantined in our home. Above all else, I am grateful that this has kept us safe from Covid. And in general, it’s been manageable. Lucky for me, I’m not a very restless person. Also lucky for me, I really enjoy my husband’s company. In the beginning, I was busy adjusting to this new lifestyle. I figured out how to work from home. How to have groceries and any other necessities deliv

December 2020 “Until we can receive with an open heart, we are never really giving with an open heart.” Brene Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection The gift giving that takes place during the holiday season has brought to mind the much-overlooked challenge of accepting. We tend to focus our attention on the giving part of the gift exchange: what should I get them? What do they need? What do they like? What can I afford? How shall I wrap it? What should I write on the card? But we

Why we need gratitude more than ever. November 2020 Shutterstock image by Microgen Throughout the internet, it seems like even more people than usual are writing about gratitude this Thanksgiving. Most are puzzling about what there is to be grateful for during this horrific pandemic. People the world over are grappling with the shutdown of businesses and schools, the recommendations of quarantine and facemasks, the reality of job loss, not to mention this debilitating virus a

Coping with a Second Wave of COVID-19. October 2020 Everyone is struggling to cope during these unprecedented times. The second spike that was predicted for winter has already begun. We have no idea if and when a vaccine will be developed and then distributed. We are basically in the same alarming situation we were in when Covid first appeared in March and our future is still uncertain. Over the last eight months, our vocabulary has even evolved to include new words to descri

September 2020 My last blog addressed the challenge of maintaining enthusiasm for life at a time when our lives are being altered and restricted by a pandemic. Admittedly, during these months of uncertainty, it is difficult to be inspired to take an interest in ourselves. The fear and challenges of today throw us into survival mode and leave us defended and disconnected from our feelings. The previous blog opened a discussion about using this period of time creatively and co