We See Things So Differently . . . Can We Still Be Friends?
Written by Jenn Gruber September 9, 2020 It's not uncommon to have differences of opinion with our friends or family members, and often adopting an "agree to disagree" attitude serves us well. We tell each other, "Okay, I know we don't see eye to…
How to Stop Being Afraid of Painful Feelings
Written by Anna Wengel July 29, 2020 I've been single for ten years. Looking and longing for a guy, and at some point on the journey, for my so-called true self. Both seemed far away and required a lot of emotional work between me now and the happy,…
How to Create Who You Want to Be in Relationships
Written by Tory Donato March 27, 2020 I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I gasped for air, convinced that I was having a panic attack, or maybe that I was dying. The emotional distress and the physical pain I was experiencing was unlike any other…
Reflecting on Life and Death: A Tribute
Written by Jeff Newman January 3, 2020 What is your life philosophy that you'd like to leave behind when you take your last breath of air on this earth? What would you want to pay forward to family and friends? There are some simple rules and…
How to Raise a Boy: An Open Conversation About What This Means in Today’s World
Written by Luke Iorio August 14, 2019 "Be a man." "Man up." "Toughen up." These are the types of phrases that have filled conversations from boyhood through the teenage years and into adulthood for men for a long time. I know these words well. I…
How to Balance Unconditional Love
Unconditional love . . . to love without judgments or expectations. Wow! That sounds amazing. It also sounds like a pipe dream, to be frank. I mean, how many of us really experience unconditional love? Perhaps there are gurus, monks, and other…
Choosing Love: How We Keep Our Love Alive After 13 Years Together
I was hooked the moment I saw him. It wasn't the thunderclap or jolt of electricity I'd expected to experience when I fell in love. It was as though something finally shifted into place--something I didn’t even know was missing. I've always enjoyed…
How Is Your Endurance?
Part One of a Five-Part Series on Patience in Relationships Endurance means both “bearing hardship,” which can be negative, and “staying power,” which can be positive. Endurance is an aspect of patience and perseverance but it can mean both pluck as…
My 18-Year-Old Son Went on a Road Trip Across Texas and I Survived
“I want to go to Marfa with some friends after graduation.” "I want to go to Marfa with some friends." This statement from my son struck fear into me instantly. I had visions of him riding in a car with other 18-year-olds on lonely and unlit Texas…
Kind Over Popular: Teaching Kindness in a High-Achieving World
Over the years I've spoken to countless moms who are troubled by their children being bullied at school. It seems that bullying is getting worse and worse, but maybe this is just my perception. It has come to my attention more and more that many of…