Tag: COVID-19

In praise of slow in a speeded-up life

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 13 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas  ♥ @HeartSisters

Many years ago, when I worked in corporate public relations, I was on a plane at least two mornings a week, flying off to Very Important Meetings with Very Important People to discuss their Very Important Projects. At the Vancouver airport bookshop one day, I picked up what I thought would be just the perfect thing for somebody as busy as I was: an audiobook of one of those ‘Ten Best Business Books Condensed’.  What a great idea!  I could save time cramming the Ten Best Business Books into my overstuffed brain while driving out to the airport and back! 

But something hit me – a “Eureka!” moment, somewhere between Total Quality Management and Seven Habits:

“This is exactly what’s wrong with my life!” 

Continue reading “In praise of slow in a speeded-up life” →

I’m still alive, post-influenza. I think. . .

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 27 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas     ♥    @HeartSisters 

        Where I’ve spent the past 19 days…

I’ve missed a bunch of really good stuff during the past few weeks: walking our Everly Rose home from Grade 2, watching Baby Zack take his first steps, long phone chats with my sister up-island, or writing last Sunday’s blog post here on Heart Sisters. Also:  Getting dressed. Brushing my teeth. Washing my hair. Feeling like a human being. In fact, I’ve been at death’s door (sort of) with a brutal case of influenza – commonly known as “the flu”.  And let me assure you, the flu is NOT “just like a cold”.         .    Continue reading “I’m still alive, post-influenza. I think. . .” →

Revisiting: “All I want for Christmas is NOT in a gift box”

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 21 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas     ♥    @HeartSisters 

My family tells me I’m “impossible” when it comes to picking out a gift for me. I am rarely able to offer them even a single helpful hint. Instead, I plead with them most years not to buy me “more stuff”.  I don’t want stuff. One only has to visit the average yard sale to witness the inevitable future graveyard of all that stuff. Bread machines. Chia pets. Exercise bikes. Candles. Aside from absolute necessities of life (like groceries or my paper crafting supplies), there are few things I now need or want.

Well, there are things I need and want, but hardly any of them come from a store or in gift boxes. I made a list of these last December. Let’s revisit that list to see if Santa was paying attention.        Continue reading “Revisiting: “All I want for Christmas is NOT in a gift box”” →

Walking away vs. trying harder: quitting revisited

~ Carolyn Thomas ~ 8 Comments

by Carolyn Thomas   ♥   @HeartSisters

When gymnast Simone Biles made the shocking decision to opt out of the women’s team final at the Tokyo Olympics, blowhard pundits (like the insufferable Piers Morgan) declared that there is “nothing heroic or brave about quitting.”

Simone explained that she needed to “focus on my mental health and not jeopardize my health and well-being”.  Even for narcissistic blowhards, Morgan’s response to her decision was out of line. Sometimes, walking away can be the wisest and most thoughtful choice we could possibly make.      .      .       .              . Continue reading “Walking away vs. trying harder: quitting revisited” →