Welcome to my web site, REFLECTIONS.
You’ll notice that I haven’t been updating it for a while, which is because I’ve been focused on my novel, LITTLE BIRD. After an old photograph and newspaper article revealed that my grandmother, Fannie, was married to a cousin at 17 and later divorced, I felt compelled to tell her story. But with only a few dates and names to go on, I have created the story from my imagination. (See my post, Nonets for My Grandmother, February 27, 2022).
It’s been two years of writing and rewriting, not to mention researching the life of a Jewish immigrant in New York City from 1910 – 1917.
I only hope that my Fannie captures what might have been true about my grandmother. I often feel that telling her story is a way of discovering my own.
They say writers are either compulsive plotters or happy to let their stories evolve without a plan. I am somewhere in between. I had a detailed outline when I started, but then characters surprised me. Their voices changed the story.
I am often asked if I have written fiction before. Have I always dreamed of writing a novel? Absolutely not! This passion, this commitment of time and emotional energy to writing a novel is all new to me. I sit down at my desk and lose track of time. It fills me with terror and joy.
Although finishing the novel remains my priority, it feels like the right time to be blogging again.
When I started blogging, my goal was to offer leadership lessons in conjunction with my former consulting company, Rise Up Leadership Coaching. Over time, I began sharing reflections on topics ranging from women, spirituality, and family, to why and how I write, an approach I found more satisfying. My weekly posts were inspired by books, articles, poems, and movies. Some were reflections on intricate ice patterns along the shore, or new buds on my orchid.
I can’t predict the direction these occasional writings will take, but I hope you will enjoy exploring them as much as I enjoy sharing them with you. Every writer needs an audience, so please tell your friends about the site – and leave me comments! I love hearing from my readers.
Read more about Barbara
RECENT POSTS
ON WOMEN
So much of my life has been about finding my place in the world as a woman. The papers I wrote as a student – every one about a female character, the advocacy organizations I joined, the inclusive synagogue I sought out for myself and my daughters, and my commitment to mentoring young women have all been part of the struggle for equality.
ON WRITING
Writing is hard work. I take courses, read authors whose work I admire, discuss the process with other writers, save inspirational quotes in my journal, and write, rewrite and rewrite again. And every once in a while, I write something I like.
HAIKUS
Morning on the lake.
Shrouded in gray mystery
until the mists clear.
Male and female, made
to fit together as one,
yet so far apart.
Stop! Go no further!
Metal gates halt the climber
But not the dreamer.
I’ll never know the
path you’ve taken. At the fork,
what choice did you make?
One daisy survives
Peeking through the railing
To say good morning.
Every surface
Shouting “I am somebody!”
in neon colors.
MORE BLOG THEMES
ON LEADERSHIP
From an early age, when there was a need for leadership, I stepped up, but discovering how to be a good leader has been a lifelog journey. Each success and failure along the way taught me a valuable lesson. I am most proud of the role I have played in nurturing a new generation of leaders.
ON SPIRITUALITY
I have more questions than answers. Where can I find faith in a time when we seem determined to destroy the earth and each other? How can I find peace? What lessons from my religion are meaningful for me today?
ON AGING
Every ache and wrinkle reminds me of my stage of life. Focusing on my freedom to pursue new interests and the wisdom I have gained, rather than dwelling on the losses, is an ongoing struggle.
ON FAMILY
When my mother died in 2018, I became the oldest in my family. Even my children have been at the adult table for many years! At our last gathering there was finally a baby at the children’s table again, with two more expected this year. I anticipate each generation with joy.
ON TRAVEL
I have been lucky enough to travel to places that growing up I thought I would only read about. I never expected to sit on the beach at Rio de Janeiro, walk the Great Wall of China, or take a train ride through the snow in Russia. Each trip taught me something about another culture and about myself.
ON NATURE
I grew up in New York City. I felt at home in a world of concrete, jostled by crowds and inured to traffic noises. Now I live surrounded by hills. I walk in the woods accompanied by a symphony of birdsong. I am humbled by the power of nature to destroy and to heal.
How did this happen? How did 75 years go by so quickly? Wasn’t I just a Brownie? Sweet 16? Spending my college years protesting? Able to vote? Having babies? Dreading 50? Whoosh…