Author: Iris Ruth Pastor

Whenever the world or my little corner of it gets out of balance – whacky and crazy – I think of the poem “If” by Rudyard Kipling. If you can keep your head when all about youAre losing theirs and blaming it on you,If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,But make allowance Continue reading

I know that one of the greatest challenges of aging is being able to accept that closely held relationships change.  I feel the shifting away of my teenage grandkids’ interest and attention. I feel the pulling away. And I wonder: Am I the only grandparent who feels like this?  Here is a letter I recently wrote to my Continue reading

For the second time in a matter of days I am writing about loss. I’m on a plane without my laptop – it’s packed in my valise and my cell phone is out of juice. Suddenly an epiphany strikes – centered on an idea for my upcoming weekly column. I frantically search for paper to Continue reading

I finally realized that I have a new, daily occupation: FINDING MY iPHONE.  My second most frequent occupation is:FINDING MY HUSBAND’S iPHONE.   They can be missing in plain sight. They can be wedged between couch pillows, Under the seat of the car,On the roof of the car,At the grocery store check-out lane, In the drugstore shopping cart,Wherever……. Over Continue reading

Marvin N. Kaplan, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend, and devoted dentist, passed away peacefully at his home on Monday, November 17, with his wife, Rella, by his side.Marvin dedicated nearly 40 years to caring for the Clifton, OH community through his dental practice—a profession he approached not just with skill, but with deep compassion. Continue reading

My mother would have never, ever thought of going clothes shopping or home decor shopping at Goodwill or the Salvation Army stores not far from our house. And my father would have been horrified if she did – feeling it reflected poorly on his ability to provide for his family.  Fast forward:  Thrifting is in.Thrifting is the act of shopping for Continue reading

I’ve started working on my 2026 New Year’s Resolutions – resolutions that each January barely make it out of the starting gate –all but forgotten 31 days later as we slide into cold, wet and windy February. While devising my list, I unexpectedly came across this tidbit: there actually is an International Self-Care Day – celebrated annually Continue reading

I’ve always been fascinated by reincarnation. I sincerely believe that a person’s spirit or soul can be reborn into a new body after death. Continuously having this strong pull towards learning and reading about the Holocaust, I couldn’t help feeling that I had been through that horrific era in some capacity as a victim.   Since Continue reading

It’s 4:07pm on Wednesday afternoon, October 29, 2025. My husband and I are on board the SS Beatrice in Central Europe. We are cruising down the Danube River – on our way to Spitz an der Donau – a village of about 1500 residents known for its stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage, located in the Wachau Continue reading

If you are opening this newsletter the minute it pops into your inbox, I can tell you exactly where I am on this Friday, October 24 at 3pm Eastern Standard Time.  The city: BudapestThe country: Hungary  It’s 5337 miles away from where I live in Tampa. I am at a pretty nice hotel, probably brushing Continue reading