Category Archives: Emotional Intelligence

Posted inEmotional Intelligence • Parenting • School

Nurturing the nerds

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NerdMy daughter graduated from preschool yesterday. We sat on a grassy knoll at the park, as the teachers called the kids up, one by one, up to get either certificates or “diplomas.”

The teacher called a name I remembered — Owen – not because he was my daughter’s friend, but because he wasn’t. Months back, she’d refused to go to his birthday party. When we got the invitation, I’d accepted, like I do for every birthday party, and told my daughter. “I don’t wanna go,” she said.

I figured the kid was mean to her or otherwise a jerk and made an excuse, but I never questioned why she didn’t like him. I did notice, when I changed my RSVP, that there were only a few “yes” responses to his invitation. read more

Posted inEmotional Intelligence

Late post

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I’m so sorry I didn’t post on Sunday. I am not living my real life right now — getting things settled with my Dad’s estate — so it’s hard for me to get time to work on a post. After I finish this note, I’ll start to write my next post. At the latest, I will post it on Sunday. Thanks for your patience and please keep coming back. If you’re new, check out some old posts. I hope you enjoy them.

Maria

Posted inEmotional Intelligence

Lessons from the house next door

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Today I say goodbye to an old friend. Not my dad – he’s still in rehab and that’s another story. Today I say goodbye to Tim*, my BFF Beth’s dad. He died suddenly last week, leaving Beth devastated. I’m in shock too. Tim was like an uncle to me. Beth’s family moved in next door to heart of goldmine when I was nine years old. Beth and I had a picnic in the lush grass above the septic tank on moving day and we’ve been friends ever since.

Beth’s dad always had a kind word and a smile for us, and everyone, for that matter. He taught Beth and me to play badminton with the net they’d erected in the backyard. I remember him wielding the racket, saying, “Hit’ll up, Beth! Hit’ll up, Maria!” as we ran up and down the sloped backyard after the birdie. read more

Posted inEmotional Intelligence • Seniors

Dad’s Latest Surprise

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old_man-2Last week I wondered how my dad would surprise me next. He did. Here’s how.

Dad went to the doctor appointment that I’d made for him last Tuesday. I woke up to a message from the doctor, “Your father was nonresponsive, his blood pressure was low and he was very cold, so I sent him to the hospital.” He sounded pretty bad off, but he’d just gotten OUT of the hospital, five days before, so what was going on?

The hospital had left a message too, so I called the doctor there. “He’s nonresponsive, and he’s ice cold,” the doctor said. “Does he have a ‘Do not rescusitate” order?” read more

Posted inEmotional Intelligence • Faith

Sometimes things just come together

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FireworksSometimes things just come together. And thank God they do. Since I had returned from my dad’s last week, I’d been working on his finances, trying to find a way to pay for his 24-hour home care. When I brought him a check for the first week of care, he took one look at the amount and refused to sign it. “This should be covered,” he said. (See “I shall not be charged”) I promised to try to get it covered and by the time I left, I lied and said that I had. read more