October

You can be anything you want. When you are scared silly, you squeal and laugh. You get to eat really good stuff that only shows up once a year. It’s a fantastic excuse to throw a party. Yes, you are falling under the annual spell of Halloween, and it feels wickedly wonderful. As children, our […]

Is it possible for 7.8 billion people to get along?   If peace on earth seems unattainable, perhaps we should not strive for perfection. Instead, we should build practical solutions to the problems that keep us separated.   United Nations Day shines a global light on those aspirations each October 24. The date became official […]

We all have something to say, and all our voices count.   We don’t express ourselves in the same way because our voices are different. However, we need to know that we are heard. It is important that the listening is without judgement, focused, and caring. These are simple concepts, but on International Stuttering Awareness […]

Our impressions come from breathtaking photographs in magazines and fascinating online tours. We’ve seen movies set in these impossibly beautiful locations and heard news reports on their impending demise. Very few of us will ever travel through the veil of vast distance into the layers of the rainforests, but we’re enchanted by their lush mysteries. […]

When we meet someone walking with a blind cane, we often think of his condition as a disability.   However, do we consider the independence with which he travels along the sidewalk? October 15 is Blind Americans Equality Day.   It used to be known as White Cane Safety Day. It took more than 40 […]

Italians introduced the cannoli and napoleons are enjoyed by way of France. America also boasts its share of sugary delicacies that deliver instant euphoria to every sweet tooth. Today is Dessert Day.   Observed annually on October 14, it is a celebration of rich, creamy confections that have a history of putting smiles on the […]

They’re the first ones who make us feel as though the earth really is back under our feet. They move quickly, and their actions seem familiar and frightening at the same time. Even when we know there are no guarantees, we want assurance that everything will be fine.   These calm professionals give us hope. […]

Some like it hot. Others do not. How much heat will you dare to heap into the pot? Wherever your preference lies on the spicy scale, savor the flavor of the Bayou this October 12 and raise your spoon in a toast to Gumbo Day. Gumbo, the specialty stew of New Orleans, results from as […]

An unsteady ladder leads to a fall and a broken arm. The drive to the hospital ends with a cast and a promise to be more careful. When our bodies are hurt or sick, the cause is identified, and the treatment helps us mend. This is not so easily the case with our minds. The […]

Why does Chris get all the credit? Leif was ahead of him by almost 500 years.   As unfortunate as this may be, most people still assume that Christopher Columbus discovered America. Mention Leif Erikson, and you might get a puzzled stare. The truth is that neither man ever set foot on the shores of […]