Wisdom of the Wounded

Elderly people feel the cold more, so a cozy lap blanket, afghan, bed jacket, or a Snuggie would be a good gift. Offer to come by and decorate the Christmas tree.  Bring some goodies and Christmas music and make it a party. A new board game and a promise to come by and play with […]

Why continue to visit a person when they do not respond? “Even though your mother, father or loved one will not remember that you were there, know that your acts of love and kindness are appreciated IN THE MOMENT.  You are making a difference for that person IN THE MOMENT.” from boomerhighway.org I remember a […]

How can we honor and care for our veterans? Steve says, For one year I served in Vietnam, and for twenty-one years that experience was buried deep inside my consciousness with only an occasional glimpse allowed to others. Then in 1988 I visited the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. It was the most profound cathartic […]

How can we honor our veterans on Veterans Day and every day? My daughter-in-law, Jeri, has a compassionate heart for veterans; so, when she sees a soldier, whether it is on the streets of her home town or in an airport or in a place she is visiting, she goes directly to that soldier, holds […]

I Don’t’ Remember much about the war, but . . . . I make it a habit of going out of my way for Vietnam vets because I know from hearing stories they were not always treated with respect or shown any appreciation for what they did during the war. My family was touched by […]

Do you know a World War II veteran in your family, neighborhood or church? Would you like to give him or her a “mind-blowing” experience– a thank-you experience which will put a smile on their faces and a smile in their hearts? Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization created solely to honor America’s veterans […]

How I Can Help handout When someone you know is experiencing abuse in their relationship: Listen and believe them! Minimizing or excusing the abuse does not help.  Show empathy and understanding. Don’t automatically tell them to leave. Help them to feel empowered to explore their options, make their own decisions, and support them in their […]

Are you kind and respectful to all people even to those who look or behave differently than you do? My brother, Harold, had Parkinson’s disease. My nephew, Larry, told me that often when he and his father went to restaurants or stores, individuals would treat Harold like he was mentally ill or dangerous.  They would talk […]

Every year 800,000 people become widows and widowers in the United States.  We all probably know someone whose spouse died in the past year or two, and we wonder, what can I say and do?  Miriam Neff of The Widow Connection shares 7 “Tips to Help Widows: Please do stay connected.  There is already a […]

Can’t Fix. Can Acknowledge. How are we supposed to respond to people’s pain? What are we supposed to say to someone who lost a child? Kendra Broekhuis says, “Since our 20 week ultrasound when we were told our daughter probably wouldn’t live, and since the death of our daughter, I realized that I was hurt […]