Eating healthy is important at all stages of life, but perhaps especially as we grow older and our bodies need all the advantages we can give them. When we’re younger, we can get away with paying less attention to the recommended nutrition guidelines and overindulging here and there, but aging…
By Colleen Masse When my children were little, a neighbor told me: “just remember, everything is a phase.” The point they were making was that if there was something annoying or frustrating my kids were doing, that I only needed to wait a while and it would likely stop on…
If you have never experienced it yourself, it can be difficult to understand what it’s like to feel deep anxiety and even physical pain as the result of being exposed to sensory stimuli like sounds, scents, lights, and crowds. For people with sensory sensitivity, the intensity of these experiences ranges…
There are few experiences more transformational than travel. Visiting new places, whether near or far, has a way of opening our hearts and minds. And when we travel with people we love, there is the added benefit of being able to share those memorable experiences. From a simple weekend road…
By: Jill Brightman The slightest aroma of sugar and vanilla can transport me instantly back in time to my grandmother’s kitchen. Each time I would visit, she always had my favorite – sugar cookies with a cherry in the middle – waiting to welcome me. This happy recollection of my…
There’s a reason why cats and dogs seem to rule the internet. Most of us get a little jolt of dopamine when viewing pictures and videos of these furry creatures being charming, silly, and deeply endearing. There’s no denying the age-old connection between our hearts and these lovable animals. It…
Music is, quite literally, the soundtrack of our lives. Music is a vehicle for memories, emotions, and healing. It can lift our spirits, calm our souls, help us fall in love, and bring us to tears. Our favorite songs become part of our emotional DNA. Even long after decades have…
By Jill Brightman As a child, one of my favorite past times was sorting through my family’s old, black and white photographs that had been passed down from multiple generations. I romanticized the pictures of grandfather, in his World War II military uniform, and my grandmother, his young bride. …
By Carol Frances I’m about to leave the best job I’ve ever had. To work longer hours. To be on my feet all day and to deal with the public. I’m parting company with the finest group of colleagues I’ve ever had the privilege to work with to embark on…
Losing a spouse is a devastating experience whether it happens at the end of a long illness or without any warning. In a moment, everything changes. For many, widowhood feels surreal, like the whole world has shifted slightly, leaving them standing apart from the life they used to know. Modern…