There was a time, not so very long ago, when being busy seemed to be the goal. Calendars filled quickly with appointments, errands, lunches, meetings, and social obligations. Leaving the house was simply what we did. It was the rhythm of life. A day spent entirely at home almost felt like something had gone wrong. Then …
Hi everybody. It’s me.Bear. I have something very important to tell you about. Mom says it’s called Dog TV, but I think it should just be called Bear TV because I am very good at watching it. At first, I didn’t understand the big glowing window in the family room. Sometimes it shows people talking, and sometimes it shows …
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3ekqdt-JaoPlaygroup started the way it often does at our house. With Bear committing a crime. The backyard was barely settled when Bear spotted Summer’s ball. Not just any ball. Her ball. The one she had carefully marked with just enough slobber to make it unmistakably hers. Naturally, Bear stole it. Off he went across the yard, looping behind the …
Hi everybody. It’s me, Bear. Mom says I have an important job now. She says my job is to help make Mom and Dad smile again. I am trying very hard to learn my new job. One thing I know how to do really well is my green ball game. I used to do this …
Coffee Thoughts: Wave Diplomacy Every morning when I head out for my walk, I practice a small form of diplomacy. Not the kind conducted in government buildings or across long conference tables. Mine happens on sidewalks, along quiet neighborhood streets, and sometimes across freshly cut lawns. I call it wave diplomacy. As I walk through the neighborhood, I …
Hi. My name is Bear. Mom calls me Baby Bear even though I am not really a baby anymore. I am a golden retriever, and I like to run fast, play with toys, and carry sticks that are much bigger than they should be. I used to live with my super cool Uncle Teddy. Uncle …
This is very personal. I am writing this as much for myself as I am for anyone reading it. The love and support after sharing the news of Teddy’s passing have been overwhelming in the most beautiful way. Many of you have said, “I understand.” Many of you have walked this path before. Now we are learning how …
Helping a Dog Through Grief While Learning to Survive Your Own Read More »
There was a time when being competent meant you could cook a meal, balance a checkbook, and fold laundry without crying. Today, competence means remembering your password. All of them. Preferably without triggering a security alert that politely informs you that you have “exceeded the number of attempts,” as though three guesses indicate a fundamental character …
Some days, the world feels loud before we even pour the first cup of coffee. Headlines scroll. Opinions collide. The future feels uncertain in ways we cannot quite name. And yet. The coffee still steams.The kitchen still fills with morning light.The dogs still stretch and wait for breakfast. There is something quietly powerful about that. Lately, I have been thinking …
There are seasons in life when it would be easier to go along with the current. To nod politely.To stay quiet.To tell ourselves that it is not worth the tension. Sometimes the world feels loud and discouraging. Sometimes leadership disappoints us. Sometimes institutions falter. Sometimes, even the people closest to us do not fully understand the weight …
