Archive for April, 2008
One Size Does Not Fit All
Thursday, April 24th, 2008 
My favorite line from Field of Dreams is not the one we hear ad nauseam. It’s the one shouted by Annie (Amy Madigan) at the school board meeting where she takes on book-burning "Beulah."
"You didn’t experience the 60s. You had two 50s and went right on to the 70s."
Officially, baby boomers are those of us born between 1946 and 1964. While I initially enjoyed all the attention being lavished on the boomers, I’m rapidly getting bored with the label. Despite the demographic significance, it seems to me that one size does not fit all. For me, the 18-year span between the leading edge boomers and those born in the 1960s feels like a cavernous cultural divide.
I was born in the late 1940s. My youngest sister was born in the early 1960s. We live in different worlds. I’m still an unrepentant radical. She is a stay-at-home mom and scout leader married to a man who hunts for sport.
I remember the days when "the lottery" did not mean mega millions. It meant the difference between life and death. Forty years later, I still remember my college boyfriend’s number. It was 268.
These days, I find that I resonate most with the 40-year anniversary of RFK and MLK. If you were there, you don’t need a translation.
There’s an expression in organizational development. "Who you are now is where you were when."
Where were you in 1963, in 1968 and 1970? How much did those experiences impact who you are today?
Release Your Inner Artist
Thursday, April 17th, 2008 
Are you ready to release your pain and gain more peace of mind?
In our October 4, 2007 post, we showcased the talents of Grace Comisso and her life-changing workshop Paint Your Pain Away. For a limited time, Grace will be presenting her healing workshop at the Beverly Hills Adult School. The course begins on May 7 and runs for five Wednesdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. No experience is necessary.
Sometimes life hurts. We all know what it’s like to feel disappointed, heartbroken or afraid. When we ignore this pain, it can lead to disharmony in our lives.
We invite you to explore art as an alternative form of healing. When you enroll in this painting and writing program, you will learn techniques to help you uncover hidden emotions that may be robbing you of happiness and a sense of well-being.
AN INVITATION FROM GRACE
"By painting, you tap into your Emotional Mind. By writing, you tap into your Rational Mind. When these two minds overlap, you connect to your Wise Mind–the part of you that knows what’s best at all times."
Open your heart. Allow the healing power of art to touch your life and awaken you to new possibilities.
For more information, contact Beverly Hills Adult School (310) 551-5150 or visit paintyourpainaway.com
Step Away From the Computer
Thursday, April 10th, 2008
Stop for just a moment and picture a lotus. What came to mind? Did you picture a graceful flower or a serene yoga position? When you visit www.transformativeyoga.com, you’ll find both.
Transformative Yoga Therapy provides personalized programs of yoga practice, small group classes, workshops, teacher training and dynamic speaking programs. Felice Rhiannon, Registered Yoga Teacher and Professional Yoga Therapist, offers a gentle restorative approach to vibrant living in the middle years and beyond. She tailors yoga sessions for middle-aged people and seniors regardless of their physical condition or state of health.
Felice embodies the qualities of vitality and resilience. She launched her yoga practice while in her mid-40s as an expression of her passion and her purpose.
Transformative Yoga Therapy also offers special small group sessions for people living with challenging conditions such as cancer, arthritis, heart disease or fibromyalgia. These classes focus on deep healing and stress reduction. Caregivers who are ready to let go of stress can also experience renewal through the power of Transformative Yoga Therapy.
In a sea of clanging marketing messages, the Transformative Yoga Therapy New Moon Newsletter is like a mini spa day at your desk. You are transported to a botanical garden where lush images and gentle words soothe your jangled nerves.
Stop again. This time, turn your attention to your shoulders. Are you muscles feeling tight? Are you holding any tension in your jaw, in your forehead, in your neck?
Maybe it’s time to step away from the computer. Why not treat yourself to a custom yoga session to enhance your strength, your energy and your mobility. The first step toward peace of mind may begin with your body.
Visit www.transformativeyoga.com to learn more about Felice Rhiannon, her professional credentials, and her remarkable healing journey that inspired the genesis of Transformative Yoga Therapy.
Sign up for our Midlife Menu newsletter. In our April issue, Felice will Bust the Myth about Yoga.
The Goldfish Went on Vacation
Saturday, April 5th, 2008
"How do you explain to a child of almost four about staples in his father’s head, radiation and chemotherapy?"
That’s a question no mother wants to ask. Patty Dann answers it with grace and love.
The Goldfish Went on Vacation is Dann’s memoir of loss and learning to tell the truth about it. This bittersweet story stands as an astute model on how to help children cope with loss. It quietly makes the case for telling children the truth about illness and death.
In a series of poignant vignettes, Dann, the author of Mermaids, shares her personal pain about losing her handsome young husband. She chronicles his illness, his memory loss, and his untimely death in short candid chapters that frame the story of their life together.
Dann walked her path of grief holding the small hand of her toddler son. Along the way, she was gently guided by the insight and compassion of Child Development/Child Life Specialist Sallie Sanborn. She tells Dann, "Children are like small barometers…They feel every change in the house."
To counsel the rest of us, Sanborn contributed a section on the nonverbal ways in which children deal with grief and the way that these fit within the context of their childhood development. She shared three things people must tell a child who is losing a parent and warned about the things to watch for in their behavior. The book also provides a resource section that lists books for children, families and practitioners as well as videos, related organizations and informative websites.
Like The Little Prince, The Goldfish Went on Vacation is a small book packed with wisdom. Told in heartfelt but unsentimental prose, it is a testament to the power of storytelling as a way of making meaning in our lives.
For your convenience, The Goldfish Went on Vacation is featured in our Amazon Associates store in the section dealing with love and loss.
Happy the Oneth
Tuesday, April 1st, 2008
"Why does Nonnie have a sock on her glass?"
My youngest nephew was marveling at one of my mother’s latest creations. To make her own version of a cold sleeve, mom cut the foot out of a sock and wrapped the top around her glass.
The kids call her "Nonna Goofie." When they were young, my nieces and nephews had difficulty pronouncing "Ruth." Soon "Ruthie" morphed into "Goofie" in more ways than one.
My mom looks like the mother in the Cathy® cartoons. Last summer, my sister presented her with a bonnet after attending a sporting event where mom wore an upside-down basket on her head.
I thank God that my mother does not suffer from dementia. She is completely lucid. She just has a gift for creative solutions. Mom has elevated jerry-rigging to an art form. I still remember how proud she was after she helped me assemble my stationary bicycle. I wonder what happened to all those extra pieces. When I was in college, I was pestered by a peeping Tom. Her solution was to wallpaper my windows.
My mother has a brilliant mind and a zest for life. She reads voraciously, watches CNN and cheers for "her Lakers." She putters in her garden, colors magnificent mandalas and cooks (in her words) "a sumptuous repast from an old family recipe."
Many years ago, mom started a family ritual. On the first of every month, she calls each of us to wish us, "Happy the Oneth." When we were young, we would find notes in our lunch pails. Later, she recruited spouses to plant letters in our luggage, so no matter where we were, mom would appear with our special message.
Last year, I gave mom a calendar bear. I have a matching one. On the first of the month, we change the sweaters on our bears and think of each other. These rituals may be silly, but they mean the world to me. I’m planning to record her message, just in case the day rolls around when I don’t get that call.
How do you create special memories for your grandchildren?