She was three, maybe four years old with messy, blond curls and she was standing alone as crowds of people rushed by hurrying to get into the sanctuary before church. Of course, a few people noticed her and began scanning the crowd for a frantic mother to complete the set. My dad was one of [...]
For anyone inside an abusive relationship, one of the most difficult things to acknowledge is the repetitive forms of behavior that come to define your relationship. Because each of these behavior patterns is intertwined with personalities, emotions, scenarios, and circumstances that converge together, it can be overwhelming to identify these patterns that make up the [...]
With all the talk about breast cancer, I realized that the only real thing I have ever felt like I could do to prevent breast cancer was actually not prevention as much as it was early detection. All I have ever heard to do was to get a regular check-up, get annual mammograms, and do [...]
I looked like an awful mess, and I was. The pain and fear in my heart were excruciating and I only wished there was some way to make sense of the turmoil of emotions that enveloped me. I had done everything, absolutely everything to make my husband happy and be this image of perfection he [...]
Abusive relationships are a funny thing. And strangely enough, it is often because they are so wonderful at the beginning. Many relationships that become abusive begin with a man wholly devoted, passionate, dedicated, eager to make sure his partner knows how much he loves her. For many a love starved or even a powerful, independent [...]
When I was 20 I had a boyfriend who went to the gym a lot and I tagged along because I was curious and didn’t have anything better to do. As I said, I was 20. Although the boyfriend didn’t last, my gym membership did. While the weights intimidated me initially and I was more [...]
Amid my mountain of Groupon, Living Social, Half-Off Depot, and other sales and special deals, there is always a boot camp deal or two. Maybe, unlike me, the rest of you have already braved what seemed to me an ominous early morning torture session. But for whatever reason, I finally tried it out and I [...]
The kids are in school and I finally don’t have the excuse I have used all summer for not getting myself to the gym. For years I have been a runner and that has been enough. However, with age, wear, and tear beginning to take a toll on my knees, I am now facing the [...]
All I could think about the morning of our photo shoot was what were my kids were going to wear. Chaos followed, as well as a trail of shirts with stains, dresses that were too short, and clothing choices that made me gasp in horror. Who would imagine getting one family dressed decently for a [...]
Okay, we all hate homework – the kids, the parents, all of us. And that’s good news, because we have some common ground. But the simple reality is, homework is absolutely crucial to success in school. Now I’m sure there are some kids that never have to open a book to ace a test, but [...]
