I still smile when I recall the thrill of seeing hundreds of runners from countries all over the world pounding the pavement on the city streets during the New York City Marathon. I’m seriously considering signing up to participate in next year’s race, with a three-pronged goal. First, I just want to be able to … Read more
Two days ago, I attended the funeral of Rabbi Simon Glustrom, my family’s Rabbi throughout my childhood. He was a welcome presence who presided over important lifecycle events throughout my childhood including my bat-mitzvah, the coming of age ritual ceremony for 13 year old. He also was one of three Rabbis who stood under the … Read more
You’re familiar with the expression GO WITH THE FLOW and you’ve probably experienced being suspended in a state of flow. Today on the anniversary of his birth, we honor the life of Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, pioneering Positive Psychology thought leader and world expert on Flow States. Dr. Mihaly Csíkszentmihályi defined flow as “a state in which … Read more
For weeks, we could still smell the smoke—even though my apartment is about 100 blocks north of the World Trade Center. It started out as a momentous fall day, until it became an atrocity. It was supposed to be the first day of nursery school for our younger son Joshua. My husband and I were … Read more
There’s something so delicious and thrilling about cracking open a brand new book. Who will you encounter? What will you discover that’s unknown to the characters but obvious to you? How will you be transported to different destinations, cultures, and times? One of my favorite activities is to get lost in a great book. Historical … Read more
Labor Day was made an official holiday in 1894 to honor the contributions of laborers who built America’s railroads, highways, and infrastructure. Today, like many modern holidays, it’s viewed as an opportunity for big sales and to enjoy leisure time away from work, of course. Living in New York City, it’s impossible to ignore the … Read more
It’s back-to-school season and I’m getting ever so nostalgic. Whenever I duck into the Staples store in my neighborhood, I’m swept up with positive flashbacks from my childhood back-to-school excursions. My mom was wonderfully supportive, always encouraging my love of learning. For this annual rite of passage, we’d go to the local stationery store in … Read more
Events around the world these past few weeks have been anything but idyllic. However, as the calendar pages turn towards the last week of August (calendar pages used to be a real thing), it seems that many people have headed for the hills, beach, or staycations. After spending a couple of days leaving lots of … Read more
In celebration of Be Kind to Humankind week, I am delighted to share wisdom from the ages on the subject of kindness—a gentle quality that has powerful reverberations. Lebanese-American writer and poet Kahil Gibran said, “The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention.” Kindness is a soft verb; one that must … Read more
Last week, I experienced Sean Hayes channeling Oscar Levant in the staggering Broadway production Good Night Oscar. The play is a tour-de-force which demonstrates the shocking way in which people once often did everything in their power to disavow, ignore, and hide mental illness. Together, we journeyed back in time to 1958, the dawn of … Read more