When I taught writing, I asked my students to describe their parents by using the five senses. Gosh, does this writing exercise elicit vibrant responses! Here are some words my community college students, who ranged in age from 18 to 60, used to describe…

When insomnia began to ruin this happy sleeper’s nights, I tossed and turned for hours. After a few months of misery, I figured out it’s best to do what the experts suggest: Get up. So what to do during those wide-awake hours? Here are some creative suggestions…

When I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer, I felt my life closing in. Sometimes if I shut my eyes, I saw a black circle around me. The circle blocked out thoughts of everything but the cancer. My illness was all I could really focus on…

On the fifth long day after my biopsy, my gynecologist finally phoned. “Barbara,” Dr. Freid said, “the pathology report indicates early endometrial cancer.” A blob of blood had shocked me one Saturday morning…

I love this statement by Sophia Loren: “A mother always thinks twice, once for herself and once for her child.” How true! And, after you mother dies, you think of her often. Your mom lives with you all the time, even when she’s gone. Read More