While you were waking up today, someone else was taking their last breath.

I woke up today and my day started like any other; the gym, the obligatory dog walk, the never-ending conference calls, and cups of coffee…. Then, a quick peek at a text changed my next 72 hours and life forever. Someone died.

Shhhh, mums, the word!

Confidence is underrated. So, let’ change that! What is confidence? The Oxford dictionary says it is "a feeling of self-assurance arising from one's appreciation of one's own abilities or qualities.” For this blog, we will refer to confidence as your specific lifetime experiences, best practices gathered, and legacy that only you bring to the table.

When I reflect on my parents as grandmother and grandfather, not mom and dad, they were the fun ones with the grandkids.  They were not how I remember my mom and dad growing up.  They were the disciplinarians trying to keep their five daughters in line.  Where are you going?  Who will you be with?  Be home no later than midnight since "nothing good ever happens after midnight."  But with the grandkids, they didn't have that responsibility.  They could teach them to fish, tell stories about magical fairies, bury "dinosaur" eggs for the kids to find.  They had endless treats like ice cream, cookies, and cupcakes with extra frosting.  But grandparenting, I have learned, is much more than frosting on cupcakes.

The year 1984. The memory vivid, engaging, and life-altering. No, it’s not Orwell’s book, 1984, that set the world on fire by projecting the future of oppression and a ban on individuality with all human actions being watched over by “big brother.” Yes, 1984 was the year I got married. Vivid, yes, Memorable, yes. Life-altering, yes, BUT alas, not as much as something even more exhilarating. The striking, engaging, and life-altering event introduced something so paranormal, so huge, so influenced by Twilight Zone, not Twilight. It can’t be, it can’t be…yes, it is, it’s The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man.

My dad’s not here, but he’s watching from heaven. – Bubba Watson

How to Explain to Kids Where People Go when They Die.

There is never a suitable time to die…for anyone. As I write this blog, I think of my dad, who left us 14 years ago, my grandma, who left us two months before the birth of my daughter and her first great-grandchild, and these are just 2 of hundreds that have passed away that were connected to me in some way.

With all of the bustle in our daily life, escaping to their grandparents' magical house is a much-welcomed break. After trekking the kids to soccer practice, gymnastics, lacrosse, archery, to name a few, we parents and kids need a break.  And the answer is not Disney or the beach but to grandmother and grandfather's house. 

Grandmother's and Grandfather's house is where the pendulum of handcrafted clocks tick and tock rhythmically, but time seems to slow down.

Grandmother’s and Grandfather’s house is where the smells of fresh chruściki, or angel wings, fill the kitchen, enticing the children.  Their big smiles and white powder sugar faces wait patiently for more.

Lean into discomfort…you are never too old to reinvent yourself!

After 75 years of living a selflessly devoted, emotionally draining, and yet exhilarating role of being a grandmother, mother, and daughter, one woman set out to lean into discomfort and tackle a new way of communicating with her family, friends, and daughters daily. You know, the comfort zones we all have, both professionally and personally.

Growing up in the '60s and 70's in the Illinois suburbs of North Chicago, I was fortunate to be part of a fantastic loving home with two tenacious parents and four amazing sisters. The ups and downs of everyday life, the challenges of a Vietnam-era society, and the life changes that I faced as a young teen made me realize the importance of family.

Holiday traditions were a keystone that helped our family remain connected. The rules around Easter and Christmas were particularly significant. At Christmas, we looked forward to St. Nicklas day, December 6th, where we left our shoes near the front door and awoke to find money in them in the morning. At Christmas dinner, we said a traditional Polish prayer and passed the Oplatek wafer, starting with our father, then on to our Mother, followed by my sisters and me. Each person would break off a small piece and pass it on with offers for peace and prosperity. At Easter, we observed the tradition of the blessing of the Easter food. We would go to church on Holy Saturday, where the priest would bless our basket of food. In that basket, never absent is the cherished Lamb Cake. Made of a firm pound cake and frosted white with a coconut coat is the confectionery treat awaiting those with a sweet tooth. These traditions, along with many more, have been passed on to my daughters while growing up, and it warms my heart that they have said that they want to continue them with their families when they someday have children. As a future Grandmother/Grandma/ Bushi/Nana, I have promised to encourage the passing of the traditions on to my grandchildren.