It was about 25 years ago when I first became acquainted with the music of the Grateful Dead. Unlike many of the other rock bands or mainstream music acts I’d grown to know and love in the 50s, 60s and 70s, the music of the Grateful Dead always had seemed somehow different and less accessible to me. Ironically, my first true introduction to the band came later in my life through my daughter Laura. During that period, I was the new superintendent of a public school in Illinois, and she was … [Read more...]
Choosing Gratitude
Gratitude is a powerful emotion that affirms the positive aspects of our lives as well as the people, community and world around us. However, consciously instilling in yourself a habit of being grateful for life’s circumstances can be hard at first. Like any habit, it takes practice. One way to start is by following the sage advice I received in the first alcohol support group I attended, which was to “Fake it till you make it.” At that point in my life, I wasn’t feeling particularly … [Read more...]
Musical Memories: Don’t Worry Be Happy
Are you disturbed by the news of the day? Do today’s headlines seem almost entirely focused on struggle and acrimony? One of the downsides of staying engaged in the world these days is that so much of the news seems bleak. Just a quick review of this morning’s headlines is a case in point. Millions struggle in Puerto Rico in the wake of two killer hurricanes, there’s ongoing division and strife about what constitutes Americans’ first amendment rights, cyber attacks threaten to compromise our … [Read more...]
The Hidden Victims of War
There’s been a great deal of buzz recently about Ken Burns’ recent documentary chronicling the history and context of the Vietnam War. During the time of the War, I was a young woman with a small child. My husband, Larry, had recently deployed to Vietnam, and was killed when his plane was shot down while on a combat mission over Laos. All these years later, I’m still reminded that, whether I like it or not, my life has been forever intertwined with this historic event that also shaped the lives … [Read more...]
Musical Memories: The U.S. Air Force & I Can’t Stop Loving You
Nostalgia is a powerful force. Sometimes it sits besides you like an old friend and other times it sneaks up when you least expect it. Two recent holidays, National POW/MIA Recognition Day on September 15 and the Air Force Birthday on September 17 have evoked deep nostalgic feelings within me and reminded me of two songs, stylistically different, but similar in the memories that they represent in my heart and mind. “The U.S. Air Force” or, as it’s better known, “Wild Blue Yonder” will always … [Read more...]
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