It’s so nice to have Jeff home again. The other day, I found myself smiling as I watched him play ball with King in the backyard. Jeff’s lean former-football-star physique and King’s grand white coat and glowing blue eyes against the gray NYC afternoon are quite a sight.
Last weekend, Julie insisted we take the L train to Bushwick to visit her favorite vintage store. Happy to be spending time with my daughter, I accepted. I have no quarrels with public transportation; in fact, public transportation is democratic, one subway for all. But what Julie and I witnessed was nowhere near democratic.
While we were waiting on the platform, I couldn’t stop observing a couple to the left of us. The young woman’s makeup was smeared and her eyes apologetic. The man was angry. Who knows why? Maybe she hurt him. Maybe he hurt her. But the way he spoke to her, the tone of voice and endless expletives all meant to break her, degrade her in front of strangers, was too much for me handle. “You don’t have to stay with someone who acts this way,” I whispered to her. We locked eyes for longer than a moment. The train came and she disappeared into the crowd as Julie and I boarded.
I have spent many years encouraging women to stand up for themselves with the stars and planets on my side. With each new moon comes an opportunity for rebirth. There should always be time for introspection and contemplation. Practice some introspection this week, and observe how others are treating you. Do you want to make some positive changes in your life? It is never too late for new beginnings.
I would love to hear about a time when you were mistreated and how you persevered. Looking forward to reading your comments.
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