Just Help is the title of a children’s book written by one of our Supreme Court justices, Sonia Sotomayor. Although it’s a kid’s book, its message is for all ages. As we approach a new year, Just Help’s message challenges us all to daily find ways to answer the central question of the book: “What […]

Do you know an elderly relative or friend and wonder what to give them for Christmas? Here are some holiday gift ideas that are sure to show you care. Or how about a gift that gives all year long? What if you made a promise to visit your elderly loved one each month?  That’s what […]

Who can resist freshly baked homemade chocolate chip cookies (or any kind of cookie, for that matter?) How do you like to eat your chocolate chip cookies . . . Warm? With a glass of cold milk? With a cup of coffee? But guess what? You could enjoy those cookies even more if you share […]

Did you know that a person needs at least four hugs a day for healthy survival? Virginia Satir was a pioneering family therapist who is credited with the following quote: “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth.” Sometimes […]

Which day of the week is the loneliest day for widows and widowers? Here is what a few grieving spouses have shared with me about feeling lonely. Glenda’s husband was killed in a private plane crash, and she says, “I was completely devastated. It took about fifteen months before I was able to function in […]

Rabbi Hirshel Jaffe, known as “The Running Rabbi” says, “For over 20 years as a rabbi, before my illness, I had helped others through crisis. I was supposed to have all the answers. Yet when I got sick, I discovered I didn’t have them. I felt confused, frightened and desperate. My experience with serious illness […]

When Ginger and I collected wisdom stories for our first book, The Compassionate Congregation, we asked individuals to (1) Describe a time when they suffered or grieved, and (2) What did people say or do which helped you during that difficult time?  During our interviews, man in his forties man told me, “A really difficult […]

My neighbor Debbie was ill, and I wanted to care for her, but I didn’t know what to do.  It would be so helpful if individuals would just tell me how to help them. But that isn’t always practical, because when someone is ill, it can be difficult for them to make decisions.  What should […]

After suffering two strokes, my mother said to the doctor, “I don’t know why God didn’t just let me die?” The doctor said, “Must be God still has work for you to do.” Mom replied, “I can’t imagine what that would be. I’m no good for anything!”  Then the doctor offered this observation: “It’s your […]

The world can seem dark with its news of escalating wars, people starving, friends and family members struggling with cancer, the upcoming presidential election, our nation’s loneliness epidemic and other sad and scary news. Against this bleak backdrop, I read an article in The New York Times written by Catherine Price, “When the World Feels […]

What can a porcupine teach us about caregiving? In Martin Bell’s book, The Way of the Wolf, he tells the story about a porcupine who was a misfit in society and had no friends: One day, the porcupine stumbled upon a raccoon who had been shot and was near death. The porcupine remained with the raccoon and heard […]

Editor’s note: on July 18, 2024, Emerson’s family posted on their public Facebook page that Emerson succumbed to her cancer and posted this link to her obituary. One summer day on my way home, I passed a lemonade stand, giving it a quick glimpse and a smile thinking “Ah, cute young girls and their little […]

Did you know that crying is great for you? Well, I didn’t know that either, but at a caregiving workshop, a nurse told us, “Tears are good for your health.” So, I went home, and I looked it up on Google and found more than 13 reasons that it’s okay to have a good cry. […]

Did you know that the word “comfort” is derived from a Greek word that means “to come alongside and encourage?” God says, “Go comfort my People” and asks us to walk alongside someone during their times of pain. It’s a profound reminder that true comfort goes beyond mere words. But that’s not always easy, is […]

Dr. Rachel Remen, author of Kitchen Table Wisdom, wrote, “When people are talking . . . listen to what they’re saying.  Care about it. Don’t interrupt.” I clearly remember a situation when I was sharing my distress over my mother’s stroke with a friend. My friend asked, “How are you doing?” And I started to […]

I did it again! I just hate it when I forget to do important things. This time I forgot to call my niece on her birthday. She had been feeling alone lately, so it was especially important that I connect with her. But the day came and went, and I just forgot. Do you forget […]

I wish I could find and talk with a man who was on Flight # DL 2297, Minneapolis to Grand Rapids, Michigan on May 1, 2023.  I want to apologize to him for treating him badly.  It all started when I was in the middle seat and Larry, my husband, was in the window seat.  […]

A note from Karen: I read this story in Chicken Soup for the Soul. Further research indicated that this story originally appeared in The Star Thrower by Loren Eiseley.  It is a wonderful story about how each of us can make a difference. Starfish Story A friend of ours was walking down a deserted Mexican […]

A note to readers: when we reach out to care for someone who is suffering, conversations may turn to God. Perhaps you will find wisdom in the following words. May it help you care for others. Confused.  Wondering. Questioning: Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people?  How can God be an […]

“Encourage one another daily.” (Hebrews 3:13.) When did you last encourage someone? Here’s a story for inspiration.  One summer day my sister and I were walking down the beach in Florida when we noticed at a distance a group of people standing in two lines facing each other. We wondered what they were doing. When […]