Recent Articles

Throughout history, memorial gardens have been one of the most popular ways to honor the memory of the deceased. Whether for Royalty, the fallen soldier, or a loving mother, a memorial garden provides an ideal area for solace and reflection for its visitors. When constructing such a garden an important decision will be what will be the centerpiece of this living tribute? While a fountain, statute, or wind chime may be fine options, a memorial garden bench, with its dignity and durable nature, remains the ideal focal point for almost any outdoor setting.

By Maureen Hunter

Have you ever felt yourself resisting or suppressing your tears? Sadness, grief and tears are a natural part of life. Understandably you may want to avoid the more painful emotions, but if you do, you also limit your ability to laugh, love, connect, prosper and celebrate. Allowing yourself to deeply experience and express your tears can be a profound gift; open your heart and align you with your soul.

This past Saturday, a friend and I went to check out Jack Kerouac Alley and City Lights Bookstore in the North Beach area of San Francisco. As a lover of literature, I was delighted by all the quotes by famous … Continue reading →

One day is often like another, until we learn that someone we know or the relative of someone we know has died. Suddenly our day takes on a new dimension and the routine we were following is interrupted. This is often the way the death of someone outside of our family greets us: it stops us in our tracks and we redirect our energies for a while to support that family. And yet in wanting to help and to send words of sympathy and condolence, we don't know what to say.

Last week I examined a short story by O. Henry, and this week, I’m looking at a story by a famous recipient of the O. Henry Award: Alice Munro. “Gravel” is a tale told from the perspective of a narrator … Continue reading →

At first glance, Stephanie Madoff’s Mack’s The End of Normal grabs our attention solely because she’s the wife of one of Bernie Madoff’s two sons, Mark. But the real value of the book is the experience she shares of her pain … Continue reading →

This is the story of Nancy, as told by Dana Sitar. All I remember is what I’ve been told. Sometimes I think I have memories, but I’m pretty sure it’s just the stories people have shared with me over the … Continue reading →