As part of Mental Health Awareness Month, I have spent the past few days reading recent articles about the state of mental health in America. Many of them focus on issues related to children and how we, as adults, can step up to provide support in addressing their problems. It got me to thinking about how far we’ve come in some ways. In looking back on my own life, when I was a young person, the conventional wisdom was that children did not experience depression. Sad, lonely or withdrawn were … [Read more...]
What Difference Does It Make?
If you’re a parent, grandparent or caretaker, you know how important the first day of school is. Regardless of if your child is enrolling kindergarten or beginning their senior year in high school, having a good start to the academic year makes all the difference. Take a kindergarten classroom, for instance. An ambiance on the first day that invites exploration, excitement and a feeling of safety can erase the difficulty of a parental good bye. When I was a superintendent, I marveled at the … [Read more...]
Music Magic
Music has the power to transform an average day into something magical. And, if you are lucky enough to experience it in a live performance venue, it’s even more special. Fortunately, I’ve lived close to live performance spaces throughout most of my life. My musical taste is eclectic, ranging from traditional classical music to a deep and abiding love for the country music I grew up with. During the 1980s, I fell in love with Ravinia Festival when my daughter, Laura, and I lived in Highland … [Read more...]
How Great Music Tells a Story and Heals the Soul
"You have to believe what the words are saying and the words are as important as the melody" -- Bob Dylan In all my 70 years, I would never have dreamed I’d be reading a piece in AARP’s magazine featuring an interview with Bob Dylan, one of the most iconic musical artists of our time, and a musician who’s been a personal inspiration to me for my entire life. In some ways, I grew up with Bob Dylan and his music. We are contemporaries, even though he’ll always somehow remain an angry young man … [Read more...]
Northbrook and Oak Park River Forest Rotary Clubs
Thank you to the Northbrook and Oak Park River Forest Rotary Clubs for inviting me to speak with their members this week on the topic of destigmatizing mental illness. Although I call Texas my home now, I was an Illinois resident for twenty-two years and it is always wonderful to return, especially to talk about an issue that is so near and dear to my heart. I love to share my story and to encourage others to harness the power of writing and storytelling as means of self expression and healing. … [Read more...]
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