rT7j83m2Da3 — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 20:04:57 +0000

This summer my oldest son moved to Honolulu. He got into a doctoral program for physics at the University of Hawaii-Manoa. Now I finally get it. As parents we are supposed to raise our children so that they are confident and secure enough in their own skin that they can leave their mothers and go 4,852 miles away and have the time of their lives. This summer my youngest son moved into an apartment less than five miles from our home. He has his own life too. These two events have left me with the somber reality that I have lost my favorite pastime-being a mom, and that I can now focus on all the things I always wanted to do, but never had time for. So I have decided to start with world peace. More on that tomorrow!

MARY MCNEISH STENGEL, LCSWC

Mary — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:26:19 +0000

I am starting my blog today. Please be patient with me. My father used to tell me, with great exasperation, that I never had an unspoken thought. In my role as a psychotherapist, mediator, Collaborative professional and teacher, I have had to work against type. I’ve had to listen more than speak, and be exquisitely careful about what I say, how I say it, and when I say it. Blogging seems, on the surface, like a venue that might afford me an opportunity to be more spontaneous. So here goes….