How old am I, really?

We have all heard the adage: You are only as old as you feel. There is some truth in that, but the fact remains that time marches on. We get older. It just doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

My sisters and I had a shock when we looked at our grandmother’s photo and realized that she was our age in the photo! We thought she was so much older…So are we aging better? Are we really more fit? More active? More health conscious? Is it possible we just have better cameras?

On Wakes and Funerals

I attended a funeral today, and I am so glad I did. Is it surprising that a funeral was uplifting? Our friend's death was sudden, and the community was totally taken by surprise. But several hundred people came to pay tribute to him and to support his family. It was deeply moving to see how many people knew him well, and how many lives he touched. Even in his death, Tony brought the community together, reuniting people and connecting others. It was beautiful.

Let's Talk Books!

Rain, rain, go away! The weather has gotten very mixed up lately. It’s funny how we were constantly complaining about all the rain, and then as soon as we had a dry day, we complained about the pollen getting kicked up! The rain quickly returned. It’s obvious that we have to look elsewhere than to the weather for happiness!

Graduation Day!

This weekend was a wonderful celebration for my family, as my youngest sister graduated from her Master’s degree program. (I have six sisters and one brother.) One of the common threads in our family is that we value education. We have seen how hard she worked, and are all so proud of her! It is one thing to go to college with no other responsibilities in the world, and quite another to do so while working full-time. And, of course, going back to college once you have passed the wise age of 50 requires a lot of resolve!

Connect -- With and Without Technology!

My, how the world has changed in the last 30 years! We tend to filter our memories, looking back at the “good old days” with longing for a simpler life. Back then, if you were in the car, you were unreachable. Once you left work, you were disconnected – no pager, no cell phone, and no computer at home. Work had to wait until the morning. We enjoyed peace and quiet at home. Or at least that’s how we remember it!

Can We Talk?

I never really understood blogs and bloggers until I retired. As a teacher and elementary school principal, I got quite used to talking all day. When I had an idea, I could bounce it off my colleagues, students, or their parents. More than that, my regular emails and newsletters made me think about issues and events, and forced me to articulate what I thought and how I felt about them. Conversation and writing gave me a framework for developing a point of view.

Why BlessingsBarb?

Choosing a name for my blog was a challenge. After much consideration, BlessingsBarb best represents my basic approach to life – that we should count our blessings, not our challenges. Here is one of my favorite verses in the New Testament:

Finally, my brothers, your thoughts should be wholly directed to all that is true, all that deserves respect, all that is honest, pure, admirable, decent, virtuous, or worthy of praise. (Phil. 4:8)