Because he knew he had to let us find our own way in life — Sometimes I wonder what my father thought as he walked me down the aisle at my first wedding. Did he know that my marriage was doomed? Did he have reservations about my first husband? Was he glad when it ended? I’ll never know his opinions about this because he never…

Then I became fat — When I was growing up, I was skinny. I was always a head taller than anyone my age, including the boys, but I was proud of being thin. It almost made up for being too tall. Everyone in my family was heavy. I flaunted my thinness in front of them…

Ladies, you know where I am coming from! — Some of us have been with our husbands for a long time. In my case, it’s 29 years. After a while, couples fall into a routine. You understand each other. You feel annoyed occasionally, but you learn to roll your eyes and get over it. After all, you do love…

I’m officially a Blue-haired old lady — I am a wife, a mother of two sons, a sister, a daughter, and a retired teacher. I’m finally fulfilling my lifelong dream of writing. I don’t know if I’m any good or not; I know that it brings me joy to tell a story. I keep wondering if anyone…

She rocked it at 77 — Dolly Parton does it again. She’s got the world talking. She entertained the world during an outstanding performance at the Thanksgiving halftime show between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders while wearing a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader outfit. Dolly put on quite a show by singing her signature songs like…

I even served it on my Lenox wedding china. — The year was 1985, and I was a newlywed of three months. The holidays were coming up, and I wanted to host my father and his girlfriend for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, for me, had become a downer since my mother’s death three years before. Now that I look back, I realize…

I don’t have to have a drink to enjoy myself Now that both of my kids have moved out of the house, I decided to plan some date nights with my husband. We haven’t had a real date in a long time. I saw an advertisement for a Marshall Tucker…

The holidays can be a real downtime for us seniors — Growing up, the holidays were a magical time for me. My mother always went overboard for Christmas and Thanksgiving as well. Because she grew up during the Great Depression, there were many holidays back in those days when she didn’t receive a gift. Once she became an adult, she loved…

No Matter Which Side You Are on — Today, as I researched the effects of family estrangement, I learned a new word. Rumination is the rehashing of the same thoughts repeatedly, even when those thoughts breed sadness or negativity. Well! Now, at last, I’ve discovered a word for those thoughts that play repeatedly in my mind. You know…