Finding Inspiration In The Every Day- 5

From birth we learn to respond to feedback and encouragement. From first smiles to first steps, from riding a bicycle to driving a car, we learn and gain confidence from the compliments and constructive feedback we receive for our efforts.

As adults I think it's safe to say we all appreciate a thoughtful word, comment  or thank you in a harried day.

Do You Ever Feel That Life's Unfair?

Eight years ago, my very close friend was diagnosed with stage IIIC breast cancer at the age of 39. Her 3 daughters were all under the age of 7 at the time. She went to a support group for breast cancer survivors. Expecting unqualified support and upbeat messages at the first meeting, she was very surprised by what the facilitator had to say. Her message that day, and I paraphrase, was this:-

"How the Turkey Ran Away From This Thanksgiving Day"-An Expat's GuideTo Choosing How to Celebrate Thanksgiving

Our first Thanksgiving meal experience was in Hong Kong, seventeen years ago, when we were allowed, as the only Brits to join a truly Hong Kong- American celebration.

During our 5 years in Hong Kong, we learned to make turkeys out of socks. Jonny wrote a poem about the challenge of finding a kosher turkey, when the only kosher store in Hong Kong did not have one. And we discovered that football does not always involve kicking a ball around a pitch with your feet.

Finding Inspiration In The Everyday - 4

You couldn't make this up! This is an inspirational, true story about intersecting lives.

An Expat's View - If I Can Move, So Can You! Some Tips For Success

As the world gets smaller we find ourselves with bigger opportunities in faraway places. 

Over the weekend, we met up with a British family who had just moved into the Washington DC area. They came for tea    (what else?)  and as I listened to their week of firsts in a new country: first visit to the grocery store, hunting for a rental, finding a school, buying coats for the kids etc,  it brought me back to the beginnings of each of our moves to new homes in countries around the world.....

Finding Inspiration In The Every Day-3

Last week someone suggested a book I should read.
Nothing unusual about that. As many of you know, I am a bookaholic and always looking for recommendations, as I know you are.

What was different about this situation was the person who recommended it - my 11 year old son and the book he had chosen - a children's book he thought I would enjoy.

A Patient's Top Ten Tips For Surviving A Long Hospital Stay

Many of you will remember that my husband Jonny was rushed to hospital this time last year. He had been suffering a resurgence of an extremely painful facial nerve condition called **trigeminal neuralgia that had spiraled out of control. His medications had stopped working.

The internist couldn't find new meds to control the pain.

The neurologist was out of ideas for treating it. 

And  Carol the Physician's Assistant to one of the finest neurosurgeons in the world at Johns' Hopkins Trigeminal Neuralgia center was at her wits end. 

Finding Inspiration In The Every Day-2

Even though we had days of warning about Hurricane Sandy and were as prepared for it as we could be, for millions this mighty storm took away basic things we rely on and take for granted -electricity, running water and connectivity. It damaged homes and cars and brought the trains to a standstill. 

We live less than 4 hours drive away from New York. If the winds had blown differently, we could have been the ones without power and water as we were last summer.