Moms: the greatest gift

Last month, I lost my mom. After talking to many friends, I find that I’m not alone. Their usual response is something like, “I lost my mom X years ago.” And silence. We all have a hole in our hearts. It is like I joined a secret club that no one wants to be a member...

These are a few of my favorite things

I love music. Anyone who has met me knows that. Music lifts me up. If you hear me singing, you might beg for mercy because I can’t carry a tune worth a darn, but it still brings me joy. My best memory is when I was about ten years old. My sisters and I used to do...

Open that envelope!

Dear Jean, A while ago, you talked about the importance of making an “advance directive”. I finally finished mine and put it in my safe-deposit box for security. I named my daughter as my health care agent. Should I give her a copy too? Answer: Yes, give her a copy....

Treasures and Memories

“I need help getting rid of all this stuff and the sooner the better!” were the first words Yolanda said when I met her at the door of her half-empty house. She had just moved to a senior apartment, and she needed help clearing out all the things that were left...

Childhood Bedrooms

This month I had a couple of customers tell me about frustrations they are having with their children. In the first case, when their adult kids came to visit over the holidays, the parents wanted them to go through their bedrooms and get rid of some of their stuff....