Toothbrushes Are Herd Animals

Posted on February 18, 2014 by Eileen

toothbrushes

This might be getting personal, but how many toothbrushes do you have in a cup on your sink? I have two. One for my teeth; the other for my eyes. (Yes, I brush my eyelids now that I’m past the age where the night sand just rolls right out the corners.) My husband has nine toothbrushes! Every few months I count them and we discuss which ones he really needs. “But toothbrushes are herd animals!” He protests. We laugh. Eventually, a few of them drop out of sight. These are the little things that make a marriage either annoying or entertaining. After thirty-two years, I’ll take entertaining any day. It’s my choice. Continue reading →

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Olympics of Life

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Eileen

Olympic flame

If we live long enough, we eventually get to test our strength. I call it the Olympics of life. It’s when you work, run or struggle as hard as you can for a period of time, and collapse when it’s over. I reached that moment today, after standing by my husband through his near-death experience in surgery and a rocky recovery. The past three weeks in the hospital were some of the most personally and physically taxing of my life. Yet I learned an invaluable lesson. Continue reading →

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Crossing the Road

Posted on February 4, 2014 by Eileen

Feb 4 2014 Blog Post (2)

Life in a hospital stops time.  Being with my beloved Paul over the week since his surgery has reminded me of sweet times spent with my sons when they were babies. I feel still inside. One moment I rub his feet with lotion; another, I call a nurse for more medication, or take notes when the cardiologist stops in. Three hours pass like a single breath. Presence muddies time. Menial things become interesting. Continue reading →

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The Power of Prayer & Meditation

Posted on January 28, 2014 by Eileen

image001

It was 5:30 a.m. on the morning of Paul’s surgery when our two sons knocked on the door to come say morning prayers with him. The dark of night still lingered as they lit the room with their voices. Continue reading →

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Anticipation

Posted on January 21, 2014 by Eileen

My mentor, Norman Cousins, used to tell me, “We head in the direction of our expectations.” Never have I felt the need for these words more than now. As my husband, Paul, and I head to the clinic for his heart surgery – (we’ll be there by the time you are reading this) – I am setting my sights on his eyes opening afterwards and breathing easily.  I anticipate a positive outcome because statistics are on our side, and Paul is very fit. But there are times when I worry. Conflicting feelings are familiar to all of us, whether we’re anticipating a test for school, a job interview, a tough conversation with an employer, friend or beloved partner, or our own determination to lose those five pounds we gained over the holidays.  “We head in the direction of our expectations.”  Continue reading →

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Greetings

Posted on January 14, 2014 by Eileen
My horse, “Lucky,” winning a Currier & Ives competition! South Woodstock, VT

My horse, “Lucky,” winning a Currier & Ives competition!
South Woodstock, VT

For as long as humans have existed on earth, we have greeted each other. Starting with a grunt, utterances of some kind have announced one’s arrival since the beginning of time. In Ghana the Twi tribe greet each other by asking, “How is your soul perceiving the world?” In Israel, “Shalom” means “Peace.” in Bhutan they ask, “Is your body well?” In Taiwan it’s “Have you eaten?” We in the U.S. used to say, “Good morning,” or “Good Evening,” but today we most often hear an abbreviated, “Hi.” Greetings reflect a culture. It is the same with sleigh bells. Continue reading →

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New Year’s Poem, 2014

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Eileen

Jan 7 Blog Post E Rockefeller image

If last year had a word for me
it was “Yes.”
And asked if I had a word today
for what 2014 has to say
it is “No.”

Continue reading →

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Breaking Trail

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Eileen

skiisThe New Year is almost here and with it comes hopes for fresh resolutions and improvements in our ways of being and communicating with those we love. During a conversation with one of my sons a few nights before Christmas, I realized I had fallen back into the old pattern of feeling left out, like the victim I was as a child. I asked him indirectly for my needs to be met. He called me on it, and the air felt electric between us. I didn’t like my reaction, but it was familiar.

The next morning I called a friend and explained how the incident had resurrected memories of feeling excluded as a child. She said in a gentle voice, “Well, I think you might want to consider the fact that you are at choice here. You can choose to revert to the old place of victim, or you can choose a new way of being in relation to what is really his issue.” Continue reading →

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Time to Receive

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Eileen

Eileen and PaulWe usually think of December as a time to give. It’s one of my favorite months. We give gifts to express our love. It’s much easier to give than to receive the love that gifts represent.

My husband just learned that he will soon need heart surgery. He’s a strong runner. This is not the kind of gift either of us expected or wanted. Two days of doctors’ visits and an echocardiogram later, our world looks differently than it did a week ago. I am confident that he will come through with a stronger heart and renewed energy, but we have suddenly joined the legions of people this season who are in need of receiving from others more able. Continue reading →

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The True Meaning of Wealth

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Eileen

Dec 17 Blog ImageI wrote the following for a New York Times Op Ed piece, but since they didn’t publish it, I want to share it with you, my weekly readers:

According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, wealthy households with incomes over $200,000 give away only 2.8% of their income; less than half as much as middle-class households earning between $50,000 and $75,000. What are the roots of this trend? I believe it has to do with emotional and spiritual scarcity, directly connected to false messages that say that buying and owning stuff makes you happy. Continue reading →

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