Grandparents….OMG, they are sooooo old.

The word "grandparent" conjures up a picture in our mind's eye of a slightly bent over, grey-haired person, moving as if every step is calculated and painful. When looking closer, we see a roadmap of lines that tell the story of their decades of living. Others might picture Jane Fonda (84) or Lily Tomlin (82) from Netflix, Grace, and Frankie, someone with vigor, cutting-edge wit, and great wisdom.

I'm about to enter the next and best chapter in my life, and I am ready for it. My life, and yours, have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Don't close your book early. When I feel stuck, I pause and reflect on where I am today and how far I have come. Then I take the next step toward what I desire for my life. I have many pages of my book to write; with all of my life experiences, I will use each lesson to create a new chapter.

Busy parents juggle jobs, budgets, and their children's crazy schedules. Waking up before sunrise to take a child to hockey practice and then toting them to the soccer field seems to be the world's way. Organized activities from swimming lessons to gymnastics are packed into the parenting schedule. Fielding work calls from the game sidelines are just part of the work-life balancing act. Life can get complicated when you multiply that by more than one child. But if a grandparent is available, they can not only ease the burden of the daily routine; they can inject some magic into a child's life.

The mad hatter…the queen of hearts, and the mysterious Cheshire cat.

Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland has been enchanting audiences for about 150 years…now that's some legacy.

So, why am I talking about the life lessons that Alice can teach in today's blog? As I was sitting the other day quietly, minding my own business, the mad hatter suddenly scampered into my head, and he took me crawling down a rabbit hole.

You may remember the famous Seinfeld line, ‘No soup for you!’ Today, people use it jokingly when something expected is suddenly withheld or taken back. The word "soup" may be replaced with the object at hand; the reference to the show can still be unmistakably recognized if the speaker uses the correct tone of voice.

In today's world, there are many reasons to be anxious; the war in Ukraine, the Climate Crisis, the Rise in Crime, the threat of being Cancelled, Inflation, Unemployment, and COVID. Anxiety is a feeling of fear, tension, or unease, typically about an upcoming event or something with an unclear outcome. But some people suffer from this disorder even without these impending doom and gloom events. Clinical anxiety is a nervous disorder characterized by excessive uneasiness and apprehension, typically with obsessive behavior or panic attacks. It is a chemical imbalance. Sometimes, the person suffering from the affliction needs time to stop peopling and getaway.

"Crying is a way your eyes speak when your mouth can't explain how broken your heart is." – Vicki Harrison

You are probably wondering what the heck have I been drinking to come up with a headline like this. Well, celebrating (?) the passing of my grandma, the loss of my husband, and everyone in between has caused me to ponder.

The contemplation? How to stop death!

"Footprints," also known as "Footprints in the Sand," is an inspirational poem about having faith in God. My husband shared a popular story with me last weekend as we took a walk on the beach. The tracks represent stages of our life. Jesus promises to walk next to us, and the story describes a person who sees two pairs of footprints in the sand, one of which belonged to Jesus and another to him or herself.