Six years ago, I came out of a 12-year verbally abusive relationship not knowing what had happened.
First relief, then not understanding why I felt so bad, and kept feeling like the world would be a better place without me in it.
Then ANGER. No way was I going to let him continue to have that kind of power over me – I had to understand everything, not only for myself, but also for my three children. And so I started writing and observing.
Sunday is Father’s Day, and I feel blessed to be surrounded by such loving and caring men. Studies show that a daughter’s self esteem is directly related to her father’s nurturing. If she is loved, accepted, and protected by her father, she blossoms. Dad, it is no wonder I have grown up with confidence and self esteem- it was all you. All in the way you loved me.
Happy Father’s Day to my most special father. I think the way he looked at me on my wedding day, just says it all.
I’ve been with my husband for 18 years and so far neither of us has cheated. We have something really great, but if you read my blog, you’d know it wasn’t always so good. We had our troubles and issues in our marriage, same as all couples. I will tell you that it is what we chose to do about our issues, that has kept our love thriving and our marriage hot. Prepare to change your thinking!
Sunday is the day we honor mothers everywhere. For some, Mother’s Day is a day to rejoice. For others, it’s a sad and difficult day, as many will celebrate this Mother’s Day without a mom. While still for others, it’s a dreaded day filled with tension and perhaps regret of what could have been. I recall two years ago, I was at Walmart buying cards for my mother and mother-in-law, and next to me, there was a beautiful woman in her 30’s also shopping for cards. We looked at each other and said, “Not a great selection, huh?” But then I found something really nice, and I said to her, “Hey, look at this one. It’s a nice one,” to which she replied, “Oh no, I can’t stand my mother.”
Today, I would like to pay tribute to a special woman. My mother. She has devoted herself so loyally and whole heartedly to our family, and demanded very little in return. Today, I honor her.
As a divorce lawyer, I see people on a daily basis dealing with the aftermath of separation and divorce. In those cases where the couple has children, the unavoidable reality is that the children are likely to experience much more emotional turmoil and anxiety than the parents anticipate.
I was living the dream: a six-figure income, beach vacations, plenty of time off to cultivate my hobbies, and a growing savings account, all before I was 25.
And then we got divorced, and I woke up to the fact that half of us had no job security, no career trajectory, no savings, and basically no idea. Yes, you guessed it. My half. I had never so much as opened a bank account by myself.
I’m a sap. I’m a sucker. I’m a hopeless romantic. Yup. I’m all those things when it comes to love and Valentine’s Day. After almost TWENTY YEARS with with my man, (wow I feel old), even on the days I contemplate murder, I can honestly say, we always make the time for passion in our marriage. But even couples in love need to change things up sometimes. Need a little spice. Need a little help to keep the plug sparked and charged.
There’s a very old saying: “Every time a marriage takes place, a new world is created.”
In 2012, does this sound impossibly quaint? Does it sound naïvely romantic?
We all know about the odds for divorce today. We’ve seen how little the marriage vows can mean in the Kardashian Age. Indeed, a recent Pew Research poll shows that 39 percent of Americans now believe marriage is becoming “obsolete.” That’s up from 28 percent who felt that way in 1979.
You’ve done it.
I’ve done.
Every woman on the planet has done it.
We’re ashamed when we do it, but the alternative doesn’t look so bright either. I’m talking about settling. Namely, settling for a so-so romantic relationship.
On August 17th, 1962, Tom Brokaw and Meredith Auld wedded in Yankton, South Dakota, on the hottest day of the year. Even so, 150 of their friends and family filed into the un-air-conditioned church to witness the nuptials between my mother, the reigning Miss South Dakota, and my father, the loquacious and witty charmer.
I help busy women (like you!) prioritize self-care so you can experience less stress, more calm and greater joy every day!
