In my car, the back seats are empty. In my house, all the beds are neatly made. The pantry shelves no longer hold bags of chips or containers of salsa and the cartons of soda pop stacked up in the garage remain unopened. Summer is sputtering to a close. It’s almost September and all across Continue reading
Author: Iris Ruth Pastor
The Exhausting Saga of Trying to Remain Relevant in my Adult Sons’ Lives
Ok, no surprise. I have had a tough time letting my sons venture out on their own. Though that certainly never stopped them. Again, no surprise. I am also prone to negative ruminations over the fact that my sons – now flown and grown – seem to need me so little. And to go even Continue reading
Give up my Bad-Ass Jeans on my Plump-Ass Body? No Way.
I admit it. I’m a blue jeans junkie. Blue jeans have been a staple of my wardrobe since before I got pregnant with the oldest of my five sons in 1969. Whether fat, thin, round with child, or puffy with post-delivery pounds – jeans were my go-to wardrobe staple. Most of the time, I probably Continue reading
What Mothers-in-law Want Their Daughters-in-law to Know
Ever read any books on how to be the best mother-in-law possible? There is one rule repeated in every single chapter: Keep Your Mouth Shut. I asked a good friend about the Keep Your Mouth Shut rule. She looked at me in disbelief. As if, how could I possibly not know that? “Listen,” she entreated earnestly, “Compliment their parenting Continue reading
A Sudden Death Leap-Frogs Me Into Action
The headlines scream tragedy after tragedy: Taxi Driver Stabbed to Death at Gas Station. Gunman Causes Chaos in Casino Then Kills Self. Motorcyclist Killed in Township Crash. We become immune to the vagaries of fate until it hits close to home. I’m reminded of this as we head Continue reading
Three Stories That Will Change Your View on Memorial Day Forever
I feel like I’m back in fifth grade writing a report on Memorial Day for Mrs. Norcross’s class. After school, I would lug my orange ceramic bowl full of Oreos and my plastic cup of apple juice into the living room to snuggle/struggle with the daunting set of Encyclopedia Britannica. I knew my mom would Continue reading
Amidst an Ending, Starting Anew
All around the country, words of wisdom have been spewing forth from high school and college podiums by an eclectic group of speakers. These bold-face dignitaries share nuggets of thoughts and observations designed to provoke and prod the graduate towards new levels of awareness as he makes the transition onto a new life path – Continue reading
A Mundane Day With My Mom, Or Is It?
It’s nice to be someone’s daughter – at age fifty-five. While my friends may be turning to friends for advice on their middle-schooler who has just pierced her navel or a teen-age son who is hell bent on touring the volatile Middle East this summer, I’ve got my mom as my compass and anchor. Continue reading
When Someone You Love Leaves
Photo Credit: transplanbuddies.org Over the years I’ve written many columns on my life with my children. A soccer mom’s Sunday Is an awful lot like Monday It’s prying and vying and sighing and trying To get everything done That needs to be done I’ve written about running a household. Continue reading
