Dr. Mae's Blog

The holidays are upon us when families and friends come together from far and wide to bask in the felicity of the season. This year, however, some may find loved ones missing at the table; young men and women in the armed services will not be homebound. They are stationed in dangerous corners of the world, both prey and predator, combing ancient lands at a time of war. Peace can seem as far off in the new millennium as during the '60s when young men and women fought in the marshes of Vietnam. I salute the sacrifices of these young people, and I hope their courage does not go unheeded. Keeping abreast of the daily escalating horrors is overwhelming. My personal antidote, since childhood, when faced with a world in chaos, was to think about those individuals who were not afraid to keep their eyes on the power of love and peace, often at grave personal cost, even death: the hidden saints. According to the Talmud, the hidden saints are responsible for the welfare of the universe. The r...

The days of one's life pass so quickly: holidays come and go, blurred by the transience of time. The voices of children fill a home that soon empties as they leave toward their individual destinies. What problems seemed all encompassing one day lose fervor as other concerns come to the fore. Scattered families, some haunted by divorce, others from constant moves, lament the lack of continuity. With scant knowledge of the past, for many, the future hangs on a loose nail.  The holidays are times when memories surface. Perhaps it is a particular decoration or the anticipation of a long-awaited visit that triggers them. Cards are displayed, a reminder, a smile, reminiscences. Some have gone missing. Accepting what was and not regretting the past for what we have not done or said is a gift.  Living in the present is no easy task, as the wise preach; one need only turn the page.  The profundity of this seemingly simple message is central to philosophical inquiry, captured in th...

It is heartbreaking when anyone is afflicted with a serious medical condition, and this is especially so when that person is a child or young adult with their entire life ahead of them. It is heartbreaking when anyone is afflicted with a serious medical condition, and this is especially so when that person is a child or young adult with their entire life ahead of them.  Recently, I received just such news when a friend called to tell me a young woman we knew was no longer in remission from a rare form of cancer that was diagnosed soon after she graduated from college.  Why this girl? Such questions, of course, have no answer.  Although I had not seen this girl for several years, she was never far from my mind. We met when I was her college counselor, and the essay she wrote for her applications was one of the most beautiful and sincere I had ever read. She was to describe three things that were most meaningful in her life and why. The objects she chose were a childhood Te...

When the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligned with Mars, then peace will rule the planets and love will rule the stars. This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius...  July was hot, very hot, and our town was struggling to recover from the results of the third flooding in as many years. Walking wounded dazed homeowners trudged through the murky brown waters that covered the streets. Gallows humor was the order of the day, mingled with the sentiment that enough is enough and wondering if it was time to leave. As the week went on, the human spirit revived and one heard, “It is not so bad this time; we know what needs to be done.” The activists amongst us pontificated and harangued about global warming and the villainy of developers whose quest for the might buck leads to building in area where no man should tread. Walking into shops, one heard proprietors lamenting the loss of business from flooding and the fact that tourists were scarcely to be seen. Some businesses close...

How do we record the comings and goings as the pages turn faster and faster? Moments stand out, feeding the senses. Perhaps it is as simple as walking past a certain restaurant on a winter's day as the smell of freshly baked bread wafts through the air. Images capture places once so familiar and now no longer there. Each life has its markers, literally and figuratively, many of mine coincide with the lives of precious pets. I was one of those children who desperately wanted a pet but whose circumstance and parental apprehension didn't permit it. Each time I brought home a stray, it would be gone before I knew it, disappearing without a word and never to be mentioned again. Dogs, cats, even a little canary named Vladimir drifted away. And yet I remember them all clearly. And when it was time to live on my own, a cat named Sabina co-habituated with me in Hollywood and later back in New Jersey. She was long and furry with a sweet and loving nature. Sadly, this time it was I, the a...

 I am determined, I can make it real, I do practice, I will capture my Gold.             Track cycling champion Christine D’Ercole translates her winning strategy to Peloton classes and I got to see that strategy live, as she took to the track to win the Gold. Along with her cycling, Christine conducts WordShop’s™ in which you attack debilitating self-talk, changing the words that don’t serve you. I am both her indoor cycling student and attend WordShop’s™,  which have showed me that even a 70+ year-old cyclist can capture their own Gold. Valley Preferred Cycling Center, in Breinigsville, PA (T-Town) is regarded as one of the top cycling tracks in the United States, cycling is my lifelong passion, and July 13-15th was my first time at a real track a place where top competitive cyclists race, and amateur cyclists train and race.  I am determined; I can make it real For the past 2 years, Coach Christine D'Ercole has been at the forefront o...

For many it is impossible to discuss loss, and the ramifications can last a lifetime One the most memorable Saturday morning radio programs of my childhood during the late 1940s were about what happened to lost toys. Its theme still haunts me. A fatherly fish named Red Lantern guided two children (who surely I identified as my brother David and me) deep into the Land of the Lost. Every show opened with the same line: “In that wonderful kingdom at the bottom of the sea” lost objects are stored beneath the waves. In the fathomless deep could be found precious objects waiting to be claimed by their child. I remember going to sleep with the voice of the Red Lantern, most memorably played by the late Art Carney, soothing me deep to the land of dreams. At the bottom of my sea was a teddy bear I particularly loved and slept with every night until once, sick with a bug, I vomited all over it. I remember crying and crying when I could not find him again, and those dream times in the depth of th...

Parents of my acquaintance complain of the constant hustle and bustle during summer vacation, running children from one activity to the other. It is haut-rigueur for some children to attend day camp, compete on a swim team, and participate in a year round competitive sports program.  This whirl of activity often leaves parent and child more exhausted during the summer than the school year. Images of summertime are usually cast in a light of hot, lazy, and relaxing days by a lake, but the reality for most working parents is that they must struggle to balance the demands of their schedules with providing safe activities for their children. This dilemma often results in hectic, stress-filled days, comparable to those during the school year. While summer camp is an option for some, the cost of day and overnight camps can be too expensive for many families’ budgets. Structured activities are beneficial, but parents and caregivers should also keep in mind the advantages of unstructured t...

The year 1971 was slated to become a seminal year for supporters of affordable child care. Advocates concerned about meeting the needs of working parents and ensuring the benefits of early childhood education had long lobbied Congress to take up their cause, and the dream was within reach. The Senate and the House of Representatives both approved a Comprehensive Child Development Bill, which mandated the right of all children to be given child care with a priority to those in economic, social or family need. The bill included federal standards for quality control, staff training and securing facilities. The fee for service would be on a sliding scale according to income.  President Richard M. Nixon was on record as supporting a federal role in child care. The passage of this bill would permit mothers, especially those heading single-parent households, to seek employment. It was a time of great optimism, which soon faded as Nixon vetoed the legislation under pressure from his conser...

Due to the uncertain economy, many families will need to cut back and simplify this holiday season. Rather than holiday spending sprees with anxiety filled wake-up calls in January when credit card statements arrive, why not find ways of celebrating that do not require spending beyond one’s means? Being resourceful and creative as a family can provide memorable moments, joy and happiness borne of hours spent together. Those of us old enough to remember have gone through several economic downturns. I completed my doctorate during the recession of 1981 and was full of optimism about obtaining a position at a college. Sending out countless resumes and letters of recommendation was a daily ritual. Getting few, if any, responses were part of the same ritual. When the budget for my position, training teachers for New York University, was cut, I became even more discouraged. I found myself, much like many who are presently without work, going on unemployment and needing Food Stamps. Existing ...