I grew up in a single parent household helmed by my Mother, who was [and is] commonly referred to as a “Strong Woman.” I’ll never say that my mother was both Mother and Father, because she wasn’t. She was simply a woman who “did what she had to do;” and like many women of her time, put her children first above all else. If my Mother had any resentment, personal grievances or an inner conflict about what she would have preferred to do, she never aired them. It’s as if she wanted to spare us the guilt of having a…. [ Read More ]
Last week, I followed a link through CNN about a Mom of 2 children aged 2 & 5 who suffers from Bipolar Disorder. She was diagnosed in 2006 which means it’s been 4 years since her treatment began and 4 years that she has been under medical supervision. I am not a mental health expert, nor do I suffer from any kind of mental disorder or chronic habits that would render me unable to care for myself or my children. That said, I experience stress, mood-swings according to my hormone cycle, general irritability at people, situations and myself when things…. [ Read More ]
The saying, Show Me Your Friends and I’ll Tell You Who You Are is a saying that has been around forever. I come to it by way of my Mother. As previously mentioned, my Mother had a lot of sayings which she used with frequency that gave her life meaning and purpose. She passed along these sayings to my sisters and me, her three daughters. Some of “her” sayings continue to resonate with me and they still carry the wit and reverse psychological impact they once did. Some are an instant call to my renewed sense of self-reflection due to…. [ Read More ]
ithinkyoushould. Put Your Karmic Debt In Perspective. A few entries ago, I might have mentioned how when I was having a Bad Day, I spoke to my Mother and while we were talking about Life’s Many Challenges, I asked her in a somewhat rhetorical fashion whether I had not sufficiently paid a certain Karmic Debt. She laughed, and said, “well, only time will tell.” And time has indeed told many things…None that I can readily associate with a repaid debt, but other more interesting things have happened. The main thing that I have learned is that as far as I…. [ Read More ]
ithinkyoushould. Follow Your Intuition. When you think of somebody, CALL THEM! This is a favourite saying of my Mothers. Not just a saying, but something she puts into practice and has suggested that we, her daughters and many friends, do too. There is a positive energy force between thinking and doing, especially if in that thinking somebody else can benefit. Who doesn’t need a random kind word? Who doesn’t need a beautiful smile, or a friendly rub on the back? Who doesn’t need somebody to ask them how they are? Or What’s new? A simple phone call can take care…. [ Read More ]
ithinkyoushould. Procrastinate a Little. I’m the kind of person who needs an earth-shatteringly good excuse not to do something. If the reason is compelling enough, I’m all over it, but you literally have to bang me over the head with it, or something physically debilitating must prevent me from doing it. Self-imposed psychological restrictions notwithstanding, I am a doer of the pathological variety. Yesterday about 1 hour after I woke up, I hurt my back. I don’t recall twisting it, or wrenching it into some unnatural position that would make it act up, nor do I recall sleeping funny, but…. [ Read More ]
ithinkyoushould. Give Some People A Piece of Your Mind. If you’re like me, you are prone to swallowing your words. Whole. You weigh each thought, each word, and each utterance carefully, and deliberately before you speak; before you run the risk of telling people about themselves. You are often conscious of both sides, almost pathologically so, and you debate the critical arguments inside your head first before you consider the fallout of what might ensue should you discuss Item A, or Problem B. You ruminate and let percolate every last seeming negativism, or explosive generalization, and you may even practice…. [ Read More ]
