The exchange of wedding rings typically occurs immediately after the sharing of wedding vows. It is a symbolic ritual in which marriage partners place a ring on their partner’s finger to create a physical reminder of the sacred vows they have exchanged. The wearing of the wedding ring serves several purposes. It reminds the wearer […]
When was the last time you challenged your own beliefs? When I work with couples to design their wedding ceremonies, I always ask them how they were raised in terms of religion and spirituality and where they are now in those terms in their lives. I have always been in awe of the deep questions […]
We all have sensitivities to the behaviors of others and it can be helpful to look below the surface of that dynamic. Our automatic response is generally to blame and judge the other person and then to attempt to get them to change their behavior. Why? Because we perceive their behavior to be the source […]
Is there anything we take more for granted than life itself? We are alive – what a miracle! Here are some questions to think about: Are you living your life on the surface checking off endless to-do lists? When was the last time you had a deep conversation with someone you love or a total […]
Many of us hold in our hearts the desire for, or perhaps even the memory of, a Thanksgiving gathering joyfully sharing a feast of plenty with family and friends where everyone is happy like in the Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving image entitled, “Freedom from Want.” Unfortunately, reality often fails to measure up to this ideal. Some […]
If you are one of those people who dreads the holidays or simply does not want to experience a repeat performance of holidays past, this article is for you. Preparing for the holidays is not just about eating food, buying presents, and making travel arrangements. The kind of holiday season you will have is not […]
Divorce and what leads up to it are not tidy and polite affairs. The children who bear witness to the demise of their parents’ marriage inevitably get wounded – some very deeply and invisibly at first. No matter how old a child is when his/her parents’ divorce occurs, the child learns a life lesson about […]
More and more couples today say they want a spiritual but not religious wedding ceremony. This mirrors the trend of Americans who self-identify with this label. The spiritual but not religious now account for approximately 37 percent of Americans and that number has doubled in the last decade. What does it mean to be spiritual but not […]
Trust is an interesting concept — and far more exciting as an action. Trusting yourself involves the willingness and confidence to rely on your own integrity, abilities, and character to meet the challenges of a particular experience, or all of life for that matter. For me, trust is not only a psychological factor, but has […]
If you had to plan a funeral for a loved one tomorrow, would you know what to do and what not to do? Most of us are woefully unprepared when faced with this task and must do so while grieving the loss of someone for whom we care deeply. So, consider investing a mere half […]