There was a time when animals were described primarily by function. Dogs worked. Cats hunted. Animals belonged outside the household’s emotional center.That time is passing.Today, companion animals are no longer on the margins of our lives. They are woven into our routines, our homes, our identities, and our hearts. For many of us, they are …
Author (Mom) Note: This is the next installment in my series, “Why Our Furry Children Are Family and Why We Are Their Parents by Choice.” I want to gently integrate the emerging perspective from dog cognition specialists without overclaiming or turning the piece clinical that dogs are family, and can help us heal wounds. There is a …
I recently came across images that stopped me mid-scroll. Buddhist monks walking for peace.No spectacle. No slogans. No demands.Just bodies in motion, one step after another. Some of them walk barefoot. Some with feet wrapped in bandages. Toes exposed, skin broken, pain visible. And still, they walk. They are not walking toward something political or away from something …
Walking for Peace: When Quiet Goodness Refuses to Disappear Read More »
Author’s Note: In May 2025, I wrote Finding Purpose in Life’s Challenges at a time when many of us questioned our direction, meaning, and resilience. That piece examined how adversity, values, and our daily choices often shape purpose. Since then, readers have sent thoughtful follow-up questions, such as: What happens after you begin living with purpose, …
When Purpose Changes: What to Do When the Path You’re On No Longer Fits Read More »
There is a particular stillness to winter mornings.The kind that asks nothing of us except that we notice it. Each year, usually around December 21, we reach the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. It is a quiet turning point, often overshadowed by the busyness of the …
Coffee Thoughts: The Winter Solstice and the Return of Light Read More »
As the clock strikes midnight and a new year begins, there’s a collective sense of possibility in the air. It’s a time when we pause, reflect, and dream about what could be. We set resolutions, not just as goals, but as promises to ourselves, tiny seeds of hope we plant, believing they’ll grow into something …
New Year’s: Celebrations, Resolutions, and the Hope for a Better Life Read More »
Whenever I call the vet for an appointment for Teddy or Bear, I always identify myself as their mom. That’s exactly how my heart feels. I know I’m not alone in this. Look around at your friends, your social media feeds, or even the aisles of your local grocery store. We don’t just buy dog food …
Psychology of Pet Parenting: Why They Are Furbabies Read More »
I have been referring to Teddy and Bear as my furry kids for a long time. And I’m noticing more and more on social media that other people are referring to their animals as their children. This certainly isn’t a movement I started, but it is an indication that a new awareness is growing, which …
On Christmas Eve, Teddy and Bear will wake up with a significant feeling. They don’t know the date.They don’t know what Christmas Eve means on a calendar.But they know something is different. The house feels softer.The light feels warmer.And Mom moves just a little more slowly, as if the day itself has asked everyone to be gentle. Teddy …
Some years, Christmas arrives loudly.With lists, lights, plans, and expectations.And some years it arrives softly, almost hesitant, as if it’s not quite sure it’s welcome.This year feels like the quieter kind. I find myself not reaching for glittery words or perfect sentiments. Instead, I’m sitting with the stillness. With the pause between songs on the radio. …
