The Dervishes make up an order of Sufism, one of the many branches of Islam. The Sufi way of life is to love and serve other people, deserting personal desires in order to reach perfection and become closer to Allah. Followers of the Dervish order can be found throughout North Africa, Turkey, the Balkans, Iran, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and… Read More »
After driving “Thunder Road” for decades, Bruce Springsteen is taking a detour on Madison Avenue. The musician known as “The Boss” will command two minutes of commercial time in Super Bowl LV Sunday night, all part of a mammoth Jeep ad meant to reflect a national mood of coming together after four years of politics and polarization. The spot does something else, too: It… Read More »
How long should guests have to RSVP for weddings? Ideally, the RSVP date should fall three to four weeks before the wedding, and the wedding invitation should be mailed six to eight weeks prior to the wedding. “This way, it’s close enough that your guests feel like they can’t put it off, yet it’s not so close that… Read More »
What’s more adorable than a baby animal? A baby animal trying to take its first steps. These cute critters get up and get going very early.Human babies need almost constant care during their first few years of life. Most animals, however, become independent far earlier. Some—called precocial animals—can even walk and feed themselves shortly after they’re born.The word precocial is… Read More »
Eczema is an inflammatory skin disease that results in dry, scaly, red skin. The inflammation is usually red and inflamed and often resembles a boil or some type of eczema rash. Eczema is often characterized by a specific type of eczema, or in more extreme cases the individual’s skin can change in color to orange or brown. However,… Read More »
When my mom died I “inherited” boxes and boxes of black and white photos. Many of them showed soldiers in uniform with their arms around her. I really don’t know who these men were but remember the powerful stories that she told about how many of her friends went off to war and never returned. They were committed… Read More »
As a child, my favorite holiday was Christmas, second only to my birthday. These holidays were important because of the gifts I received. Oh, did I look forward to those holidays and all the presents I was going to delight in. And delight, I certainly did to the extreme. Then slowly things changed. I got married and we… Read More »
Christmas is a precious time for many of us. It’s about family, special relationships, home and sharing together, so clearly demonstrated by the numerous adverts that echo this message at this time of year. A new couple, freshly starting out their lives together, may want to bring some of their familiar traditions with them; the people who must… Read More »
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines the word “merry” as full of gaiety and high spirits. Unfortunately, that does not describe everyone’s experience on any day of the year, let alone at Christmas. There are many during the holiday season who are lonely, sad, or sick. Some face circumstances that involve abuse, addiction or poverty. Many think about unfulfilled… Read More »
Since this blog is premiering on Thanksgiving Day, I thought it might be a good time to focus on the value of giving thanks as an important part of your daily living. Although I see the importance of having specific days to honor things that have value to most people, like Thanksgiving, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Birthdays, Anniversaries… Read More »