It seems that life and death are inextricably intertwined, and the two do indeed have a great deal to do with each other. Death emphasizes the preciousness of life, and the sanctity of these few moments carefully, albeit predictably, bookended by a birth and a death, in the same way...

Our family dog passed away unexpectedly this week. He was a Siberian Husky named Dimitry Soloviev, and he was love incarnate. My husband's and my grief was great, but far greater was the grief of our children. It suddenly occurred to me that we did not have any children's books...

"And now," cried Max, "let the wild rumpus start!" I have such fond memories of long evenings spent with Maurice Sendak books as a child. More than his free imagination and silly, unpredictable adventures, I was thrilled by the absence of a sugar coating. Sweet and syrupy is a delicious...

Could it be that some parents deprive their children of silly stories mistakenly believing that silly is counterproductive? Could they believe that the world is a harsh place with no room for laughter and goofiness? I realize now more than ever, that the silly moments shared with me as a...

I never realized how profoundly the books that were read to me as a child influenced my developing personality until as an adult, I began to rediscover favorite tales as I read them to my own children. But through my grown eyes, I have discovered depth, silliness, and brilliance that...

As our children bounced and giggled wildly in the bouncer and splashed in kiddie pools, I had the chance to catch up with some of my neighborhood friends at birthday parties this past weekend. I couldn't help but notice that everyone seemed genuinely relaxed and happy for the first time...

Our health care system does not need fixing because fixing is what you do to something that once worked.

I happened to have the experience of my children needing extensive medical care for the first two years of their lives. In fact, my youngest continues to have special needs....

As physicists have proven, and ancient yogic texts have let us know for thousands of years, there is nothing in this reality that is not spirit, or as one might call it, "energy". Atoms, electrons, and neutrons, the building blocks of our world, have been examined thoroughly, and there is...

Let me preface what I am about to say with this: I am a vegetarian.

And let me continue by saying this: that doesn't make me better or more spiritual than meat eaters.

How can that be? As we all know (or ought to by now--it has been published repeatedly...

I was in charge of the pinata at my daughter's second birthday party, and after a solid hour of trying to speak loudly and clearly to a room full of tots anxious to get their hands on the blue bat that would lead them to a bagful of candy and...

We had a blackout last night, which isn't uncommon in the summer months in Los Angeles. On one level, it was extremely inconvenient. I hoped to utilize the late evening hours to upload a new children's book to my publisher via internet. That would become impossible.

However, on another...

There is no doubt that these are troubled times. But I have lately been reminded that all times do pass, and how you and I will come through this storm is self-directed. I am reminded of the light that beckons at the end of the tunnel. I am reminded that...

I have lately been in despair over the seeming disappearance of several acquaintances of mine. Neighbors move away suddenly, leaving behind an empty home, classmates from my daughter's class are withdrawn from school without good-byes, shops we used to frequent are empty and closed one morning.

...

I was in the nursery school office, writing a check for my daughter's tuition when it occurred to me that with all the retail stores closing, layoffs happening, and amidst various other economic woes, our nursery school might be affected. After some prodding, the ladies in the office let me...

I ventured to the supermarket with my husband, 3 year old, and 1 year old, and we ran into some friends of ours with children the same age. After some small talk, they confided in us that they had put their last two mortgage payments on credit cards. "We both...

"Unplug and Recharge" is a new Living series which aims to give you, our dear readers, a quick break from your day -- whether you have as much time as ten minutes or as little as two. Following the success of our Oasis at the DNC, we're hoping to...

"Unplug and Recharge" is a new Living series which aims to give you, our dear readers, a quick break from your day -- whether you have as much time as ten minutes or as little as two. Following the success of our Oasis at the DNC, we're hoping to...

The sound of her words echoed in my mind like a death wish being placed on my three month old infant, "We're canceling Grace's surgery, scheduled for 7 A.M. tomorrow. Your insurance has lapsed." I was shocked. My mind raced: there must be some mistake because I had paid my...

One of my all time favorite self-massage techniques is the temple rub. So simple, and yet so effective. The temples are located just above and outside the eyes, below the forehead and in front of or intersecting with your hairline. You will know you've found your temples if you feel...

"Unplug and Recharge" is a new Living series which aims to give you, our dear readers, a quick break from your day -- whether you have as much time as ten minutes or as little as two. Following the success of our Oasis at the DNC, we're hoping to...