Author: Marlys Lawry Page 18 of 54

Does your perspective need tweaking?

Thirteen years ago, daughter Summer and son-in-law Josh packed up the grandkids and moved away from the Pacific Northwest.

 

Multnomah Falls above the Columbia River Gorge (photo: Marlys)

What are you waiting for?

The floor is still swaying gently beneath me. I’m back on solid ground after a week-long cruise from Quebec to Boston. But the floor is still swaying.

 

Home base for the week—the Zaandam (all photos: Marlys)

Welcome, Autumn! 50 inspiring thoughts

The question went out to girlfriends, daughters, sisters, nieces: What are your favorite things about autumn?

You might be surprised at some of the responses.

 

How to shut down loneliness

I’m sitting in a park in Old Quebec surrounded by ancient buildings. Bells are ringing with abandon from all directions and a nearby fountain is whispering, “Breathe deeply, my friend.”

 

Photo: Marlys

Do you get to pick your family?

On a recent road trip to Ferndale in northern California, I drove over the Cascade Range, through the redwoods, and then turned left at the Pacific Ocean.

 

Oregon redwoods

The break-up letter every widow wishes she could send

Stepping into a new season of life can be exciting and breath-taking and dream-engineering: Graduation. That job you’ve always wanted. A new love. Your first house. A much-anticipated baby.

 

Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

5 things worth slowing down for

Slow isn’t my normal speed. I walk quickly, type quickly, clean house quickly, stack firewood quickly.

None of those are necessarily bad. But there are some things worth slowing down for.

 

Photo by Benjamin Combs on Unsplash

10 best tactics for dumping depression outdoors

“Depression — you’re welcome to hike up to Tam MacArthur Rim with me,” I said out loud after waking up on the blue side yesterday, “… but I doubt you’ll be able to keep up.”

Even though my life is good and full and there’s no reason for it, depression and anxiety often wake up with me.

 

Heading up to Tam MacArthur Rim from Three Creeks Lake

Why not a brave-making date?

My husband, Gary, and I had several favorite trails in the Oregon Cascades. One of my brave-making goals is to eventually re-hike all of them. Alone.

 

The moraine lake tucked into Broken Top at 8,150 feet (All photos: Marlys – none enhanced)

How critical is it to count the ordinary moments?

One of my closest friends from high school, Cheryl—whose brother I married—walked beside her husband, Steve, as he entered hospice care last week.

 

Photo by Simon Smith on Unsplash

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