Imagine a soccer match where no one cheered. Or cheerleaders sitting quietly in the stadium as their team moves toward the goal line. Imagine a graduation where everyone politely nodded. Or a concert where no one clapped. Or a finish …
A Tribe of Foreigners
We were all born foreigners. Our mothers’ wombs forced us to depart from the cozy comfort of a tiny space out into the cool, wide-open, confusion of the world. We were likely flung into the scent of humans, of antiseptic, …
Red Zone to Green Zone Community
Ten years ago, my husband and I started playing soccer and helping kids with their homework at an apartment complex in our Chicago suburb. One afternoon, we overheard a police officer refer to these apartments as a “red zone” – …
The Bond Never Broken
It started out as a journey to friendship. There we were, in a massive new city, and I knew two or three people, none of whom had children. But I had heard about this mom group that met at the …
Restless Nights
Everyday worries can keep you awake. Sometimes at night Edith can’t sleep. She goes through the “what-ifs”: What if her son gets sick and she can’t leave work? What if there’s no one she can call to take care of …
Embracing Differences: In-law Edition
My husband married a woman unlike the women in his family. His mother and sisters are logical, organized and have lots of common sense. They’re great planners, they can spot a problem from a mile away. They’re brilliant, gorgeous, funny. …
Living Life Together
In our busy lives, many of us find that in spite of seeing people all day long, we’re really rather isolated. We may talk business at work or chat in passing on our way out the door, but the only …