JG2 Don't be Drab

Hi there, I'm Jo Giese, bestselling author of the joyous book "Never Sit If You Can Dance, Lessons From My Mother.""

When things get tough, like now with the coronavirus, we can get scared and sad---or--we can make the best of it.

In 1961, Hurricane Carla with 175 mph winds was headed to smash into Houston. My family with 3 kids and our neighbor with 5 kids were gonna evacuate in my Dad's small car. Except when our neighbor also brought a parakeet in a cage, Mom realized this wasn't going to work.

Instead she invited all the neighbors to gather at our place around a campfire of candles and lanterns.

We hung out--playing board games. Luckily, the hurricane missed us, but I still savor Waiting for Carla as one of the scariest and friendliest times of my childhood.

This current crisis is different in that we're denied the comfort of gathering together. But my mom's attitude can still help you in this emergency. While we're sheltering in place, use this time to create memories with those you love.

If you'd like more of cool stuff I learned from my mom, check out my book, "Never Sit If You Can Dance." Available at Amazon.com