-
Indomitable spirit: Dr. Jane Goodall
I had the privilege of taking a “Master Class” online with Dr. Jane Goodall. It taught me an immense amount about her work and how she has pursued a life dedicated to chimps, their intelligence and conservation. She has also led the way in animal activism and environmental preservation. She sparkles with energy and hope I was most surprised by her broad acceptance of the human race. She is still hopeful in spite of all the destruction that is happening in the world. As she speaks, serenely dressed in a cape of dark green, her eyes dance with hope and energy. She glows with the confidence and intelligence of a…
-
The pen is mightier than the sword
In high school I had an English teacher who taught creative writing in a unique way. She would toss blank sheets of paper out to each row and then give us a subject or quote to write on. Normally I moved through high school with ease, but for some reason her method of teaching terrified me. One day she gave us: ” the pen is mightier than the sword.” While I was trying to come up with who said this; other students began to write. I thought maybe Shakespeare. One of my dear friends was extremely good at this type of writing and he thought I should throw caution to…
-
what will I do with the rest of my life?
I awoke in the middle of the night, my eyes full of tears and my heart beating rapidly. What could have provoked such a scare? I couldn’t remember anything happening during the day that would lead me down this path of anxiety. No bad dream. This was not about the mid-life “dark wood ” that Dante had spoken of so eloquently. I had passed through that years ago and managed to find happiness in spite of having left the publishing world earlier than I wished. Then it came to me. Recently I’d received a barrage of mail from Medicare. I was turning 65. What would I do with the rest…
-
Chickens Roost to Sleep
The last animal I stopped eating was chicken. I don’t know why I continued to eat chicken for so long. But I must have had a wrong-headed idea about chickens. In July of 2018, I spent some days visiting my brother on his farm. 7 chickens and 2 roosters roamed the fields at their own will. These chickens were hybrid chickens–beautiful red and pink colors. One night we saw a fox on a far away hill and it looked as if it might be feeding cubs. This meant trouble for the chickens. We had already lost one chicken due to a unsuspected hole in their pen. The next night around…
-
I’m Becoming My Mother
I believe that my mother was true to herself. She had her opinions and they were strong, but she was an honest, hard-working person with intelligence and a mind of her own. She could do almost anything she set her mind to do. She studied academic subjects in school, including Latin. After high school she went to Penn Commercial and became an outstanding typist, bookkeeper, and shorthand taker. These skills may sound foreign today, but in her day they were highly valued and any one of them could land you a good job. Here’s a small part of what she taught me by her actions. Love animals and take care…
-
Winter Hibernation
It has been a bitter winter so far and I have been “curled” into myself since Christmas. It feels unusual and yet it feels good since I live in a beach town that is often busy with bathers and others getting away from the city to enjoy the sun and water. But now I have finally gotten out of the house to venture into New York City. A friend and I visited the Met for the better part of a day seeing Michelangelo’s drawings, paintings, sculptures and architectural works. It was truly amazing. I left my phone in my handbag preferring to enjoy them as I saw them. Then we…
-
Christmas: A Celebration of Giving
Christmas: A Celebration of Giving I used to think giving was something we did out of duty, but I believe, for me now, it comes from love for God and a wish to respond to the needs of the world. It also comes from a wish to express loving kindness, goodness, and gratitude for all that has been given to me. I was fortunate to be raised in a family that embraced generosity. My parents gave faithfully to their church and they were also generous to others in need. My mother visited friends who were sick and wrote hundreds of cards and letters to her family, neighbors, and home-bound friends. Their giving was not out of…
-
My Dinner with Wally
When I lived in Greenwich Village, it was easy to spot celebrities. My favorite stars are those of literary fame. When seeing them it is okay to gaze upon them and even to lock eyes if possible, but that is all. I have had many “brushes with fame” as we used to call it. Sharing the ladies room with Sigourney Weaver at NoHo Star and admiring Sam Shepherd after he purchased a large coffee at Joe: the Art of Coffee. No words, but only a quick moment of recognition. But the person that I saw the most often was Wally Shawn. He claim to fame was the movie”My Dinner with…
-
The Silent Battle
When I lived in Brooklyn, I used to spend some of my day feeding young cats in Fort Greene Park. (Two of them are now living with me in Asbury Park.) One day I met a young man in the park named Christopher who was “pumping iron” in his wheel chair. His smile was infectious. Half of his leg was gone. Later, he told me his story. When he was 15 years old, he was called to his sister’s aid as she was being attacked by a gang. She got away, but the gang shot him 9 times in the back and leg. Now at 23 years old, this former…
-
Journaling
For 40 years I have been keeping journals. They are lined up by my desk. I have slowly gone through some of them and am letting them go. Looking at my journals is like looking into a clothes closet. There are worn clothes that I love. New clothes that hang without creases. And there are those pieces that are uniquely me. My PhD program in English Literature at Brown University was dramatically transformed into a M.A. is a worn pair of blue jeans that no longer fits. I did get a lot out of those years in Providence. Many hours were spent reading and studying the writings of Virginia Woolf. …
