Every time I pick up the telephone to make a call, I’m greeted by a smiling face. A tiny half-inch yellow smiley face with a huge mouth turned up at the corners and jolly smiling eyes. The same is true when I begin work on my computer or put on […]
Marie Snider – This Side of 60
When it comes to grandparents, I was sadly deprived. My maternal grandfather died before I was born. My paternal grandfather died when I was two years old and grandmother when I was eight. And I lost my last grandparent, my maternal grandmother, at age 17. Even though I was eight, […]
My children were reared on wisdom from two books. “Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care” was a “must read” for parents in the 1950s and ’60s. Benjamin Spock addressed every conceivable childhood problem, and his book was translated into 39 languages and sold more than 50 million copies. It was […]
Recently, I’ve been thinking about happiness–the concept of happiness, what it means to be happy, and my own personal happiness. What does it take for me to be happy? Is happiness a choice or an accident of genes; or is it a mixture of both? What times in my life […]
“It was an incredible week,” said my daughter last Sunday. “Everything flowed perfectly.” And she was right! For weeks in advance, I had been telling my friends about the impending visit of my husband’s four nieces and their husbands. Most responded positively. But some said, “A whole week!” Implying that […]
When we first moved to Kansas from Canada in 1966, I felt very free. We knew few people, so there were no social obligations. I had no responsibilities except being a young mother. No meetings to attend. No committee obligations. No fundraising cookbooks to edit. No Sunday School class to […]
Exercise is easy for younger people, but they often feel they don’t have time to walk two miles a day or play tennis. Many older people have the time, but exercising is difficult and sometimes hurts. So every person has a different excuse. But none of the excuses are valid. […]
Like many people, I’m a moderate worrier. I don’t spend my whole life worrying, but there is always an undertone of “What if. . . .” After World War II, I worried a lot about “What if the expected nuclear holocaust actually happened.” For a few years, I was so […]
Books and I have had a special lifelong relationship. And I still treasure my first “readers.” As a little girl of four, I loved “The New Winston Primer” especially the first story I learned to read—“The Rabbits.” There was Peter Rabbit, Mother Rabbit and Baby Rabbit. And they went into […]
Years ago, I loved gardening. I wasn’t a wonderful gardener, but spent many happy hours digging in the dirt. I loved the feel of the soft, mellow soil on my bare feet. When we first moved to Kansas 40 years ago, it took a while to find out how different […]
I read his inspirational obituary in The New York Times last week. His name was Salvator Altchek. He was a man of principle. A man who worked to help people, not to make money. Everyone in Brooklyn, N.Y. knew and loved Dr. Salvator Altchek. One time he was robbed at […]
It began as an ordinary work day more than 20 years ago. A very busy day, with the usual assortment of interruptions and telephone calls. Then the phone rang again. I picked up the receiver and announced my name. A sprightly voice returned, “This is Jeanne Boone of ‘To Tell […]
