Life is a series of Divine lessons that keep you connected to the Universe and mankind

Doing It for Years

Like a long pass hurling towards the end zone, my fourth child came flying out of my body and into the doctor’s hands. After he gently placed Timmy into my welcoming arms, I stared, flummoxed. “What do I do with a boy?” I wondered. With three daughters at home, my life up to that point was all about dolls, frilly dresses, and hairbows. I’d become conditioned as a “girl’s mom” and was afraid I’d flunk in the boy department. Little did I know that […]

The Secret

As I motioned to my class to gather around me in our room at the El Camino YMCA, fifteen tiny dancers in fluffy pink tutus huddled into a tight circle. “Okay, girls,” I said happily. “I have a secret to tell you!” Gluing their little four- and five-year-old shoulders side by side, faces brightly smiling, they waited in anticipation for my top-secret announcement. Usually my proclamations come with a sucker or some other treat for a job well done. But today’s surprise, in my […]

I’ll love you through it

As I walked into the cafeteria that warm October day in 1969, I noticed my Mercy High School besties huddled at a corner table. There was nothing unusual about this scene, for this is where we Juniors congregated every day. Then, suddenly, I froze. By the sheepish grins on their faces as they quickly turned away, I sensed the topic of conversation was me.

 

 

 

 

 

“Did I do something wrong?” I asked the group, slowly approaching.

Steering me to another table to talk one brave girl began, […]

48 reasons why

While conversing with my business coach Julia about the release of my book, “The Promise I Kept,” as well as a class I’m creating to help others write their story too, we got down to the usual stalemate in our planning: discussing price.

“Do you realize the minute we talk money, you freeze?”

“I do?” I asked, confused.

 

“You’re a realtor. I bet you have no problem telling people what you charge when you take a listing. Why do you have such an issue with this?”

“That’s different. […]

Choose Wisely

Joking about all the things I didn’t seem to do right, my 97-year old father tilted his head and went silent. It was 2012, the year of his passing, and he was preparing to impart his final words of wisdom.

 

 

 

“Why do you do that?” he grumbled.

“Do what?” I questioned, confused.

“You’re always downgrading your ability. You’re so much better than that.”

Stopping for a moment to reflect, I sadly had to agree. For as long as I could remember, I’d been the queen of self-deprecation, but […]

Not My Problem – at least for today

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As my younger brother, Tim, frantically searched the house for his high school history paper due the following day, I rolled my eyes in disgust. This wasn’t just the first time the dog ate his homework. It was a chronic occurrence, and, being his older sister who fixed all of life’s mishaps, he tried to make it my issue too.
“Jackie, have you seen it?” he hollered, rummaging through the papers strewn all over his bed and on the floor. “I need your help!”
“What makes […]