Published inPublishous·17 hours agoMember-onlyWhy Volunteering Isn’t All It’s Cracked Up to BeVolunteerism is supposed to be rewarding, but too often, volunteers end up frustrated and unappreciated. Here are some things you can do if that happens to you. — Olivia stared sullenly ahead when I asked her about her day. She hadn’t exhibited any interest in the mentoring material. Our word of the day was excellence, and there were several age-appropriate activities to spur a discussion. Olivia didn’t want to do any of them.Volunteering5 min readVolunteering5 min read
Published inMiddle-Pause·18 hours agoMember-onlyWill Dementia Cloud My Memories of My Mother?As her dementia deepened, so did her stubbornness. — I wore my mother’s necklace to church today. It’s a colorful, sparkly piece that usually isn’t my style, but I ran across it when I was rummaging through my jewelry drawer. I had put the necklace in her stocking the year she came to live with us, the year she…Christmas5 min readChristmas5 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·Oct 30Member-onlyThe Surprising Link Between Falls and LifespanWhy older people fall, and how to avoid it — During my recent physical, the nurse practitioner asked a surprising question. “Have you had any recent falls?” Doctors and nurses routinely ask about medicines, blood pressure, alcohol, smoking and exercise. But asking about falls was a new addition to the list. I told her I had slipped on a rocky…Health9 min readHealth9 min read
Published inThe Haven·Oct 24Member-onlyHow to Fit In if You’re Moving to AtlantaFrom leaf blowers to home renovations to dealing with the HOA, here is everything you need to know. — Moving to a new area can be stressful, so I’m writing some tips to ease the anxiety of your transition if Atlanta is to be your new home. But before we get into the nuts and bolts of what you need to know, I want to extend a big welcome…Satire5 min readSatire5 min read
Published inILLUMINATION·Oct 16Member-onlyDo You Have Alzheimer’s, or Could It Be Something Else?Why it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis — “I’ve been shot!” My mother moaned, clutching her chest. It didn’t help to say, “No, Mom, you’re fine. No one’s shot you,” because she wouldn’t listen. I tried a different tactic. Approaching the large, leather recliner that had been her chair since my spouse and I moved her in with…Aging5 min readAging5 min read
Published inThe Partnered Pen·Oct 13Member-onlySharing The Friend Link No Longer Allows Friends to Read for FreeWhat have other writers experienced since Medium implemented its most recent changes? — I didn’t realize Medium’s latest changes did away with free reads until I tried to share several articles on Facebook using my friendship link. In the past, those readers had been able to access three free stories a month. …Medium4 min readMedium4 min read
Published inMiddle-Pause·Oct 9Member-onlyDon’t Dismiss a 13-year-old Girl’s Pain Because of Gender BiasDiscrimination against women in health care is nothing new, but we can take steps to ensure we are heard. — My 13-year-old granddaughter’s symptoms started with a sore throat and fever. A lot of colds and viruses begin this way, so nobody was alarmed. It wasn’t until the next day when she began vomiting and complaining of stomach pain, that her mother, Alex,* called their new pediatrician. Alex had told…Medical6 min readMedical6 min read
Published inThe Partnered Pen·Oct 5Member-onlyAndy Stanley Responds to Christian Critics After LGBTQ+ EventIn the eyes of his critics, Stanley is Pro-Gay and Anti-Bible — When my friend sent me a link to an article about Andy Stanley, I figured it would be critical of the pastor. Why did I think this? Because Stanley is a favorite target of church leaders, especially Baptist ministers, who crop up with predictable regularity to attack his “unbiblical” views. …LGBTQ5 min readLGBTQ5 min read
Published inBoomers, Bitches, and Babes·Sep 26Member-onlyWhy I Would Revisit the Seventies“Every drop of rain is glad it found her Heaven must have made her just for me” — from “Ain’t No Woman Like the One I’ve Got,” Hit song, 1972 What decade would I revisit if I could go back in time? Although I wouldn’t linger in any of them, I would dip back into the seventies, despite shag carpets, soaring inflation, Watergate and Vietnam. …Memoir5 min readMemoir5 min read
Published inThe Haven·Sep 25Member-onlyMy Husband is an Anti-VinerAnd Other Ways We Are Incompatible — My husband pointed to a skinny vine twining around a neighbor’s mailbox. “Why would anybody plant that?” “It’s a Clematis. They have beautiful flowers in the spring.” “I know what it is, but I don’t want vines around my mailbox.” That’s when it dawned on me that my husband is…Humor3 min readHumor3 min read