By Pat Haggerty

It’s official!  Fall is here.  The “autumnal equinox” has come and gone, and the calendar keeps marching ahead.  As a New Englander through and through, I have always loved this season:  the vibrant foliage, the apple picking, the crisp mornings.  It’s something I wouldn’t want to give up.  It keeps me going; it brings me life!

By Pat Haggerty

For many years, I viewed Labor Day as a time of transition.  I was in education, and Labor Day was the demarcation line between summer vacation and the start of school.  There was something both sad and energizing about this time.  I was sad to see the leisure days of summer come to an end, but I was energized thinking about my new students with all of their hopes, dreams, and challenges.  Experiencing Labor Day was like experiencing New Year’s Day in the middle of the year.

By Pat Haggerty

There is something so wonderful about serendipitous events.  They sneak up on us and bring us unexpected surprise and wonder.  Such was the event that took place for me while on a visit to Los Angeles.

By Pat Haggerty

Many of us have daily rituals that we adhere to without fail.  My daily ritual began probably twenty or so years ago.  I measure the time based on the chairs I have sat in during the process.  I started off in a light green overstuffed chair in my den followed by a beige chair in the same room.  That changed when my daughter’s bedroom became my study once she left home for good to begin her own life in the adult world.