Mary O'Connor

In the last week two very close friends got put on hospice care. My heart is broken at the impending loss of these wonderful women. One of my friends has been dear to me since high school, our college years on the same floor in our dorm and throughout the years, checking in on each other. My other friend has been my inspiration to good motherhood, sharing many years as neighbors down the street, our kids running in an out of each other's house, holidays shared, and off key singing in their...

This morning in guided meditation, our guide suggested we could relax and be anything we wanted, and we are perfectly imperfect. I loved that message, as someone always on the make one more self improvement gig to attend, or a vitamin or exercise that will improve the way I am. So his words that you are okay just the way you are. If you go astray you can good naturedly laugh at yourself and say there I go again and bring ourselves back to enjoying just who we are. I can always celebrate life...

During conversations with a couple of my rounding 80 friends, I heard worry about how to manage trouble walking, hearing, incontinence, and sight issues. They also talked about the many specialist appointments taking up their whole week. In the meantime, between these tune-up appointments, they are trying to maintain their households, including getting groceries, doing laundry, paying bills, and connecting with family and friends. This season of life needs a lot of support and leaning into...