notquiteold

Nancy Roman

Category Archives: Friendship

Taking Sides

Although I recently posted about giving people the benefit of the doubt, I admit that this practice doesn’t always work. Most importantly, we should never explain away or excuse bigotry, violence, or abuse. But even in more simple everyday ways, we need – when giving the benefit of the doubt – to make sure we …

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Another Year Older And Deeper In Debt

Oh, not the kind of debt that includes credit cards and mortgages. Of course, I have that kind of debt. But today is another birthday, and I’m deeper in debt because of all the people and things that help me cope – that help me be happy, when sometimes in this crazy year it would …

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Another Good Deed Goes Noticed

I stopped for gas a few days ago at one of the busiest gas stations near my home. So, yes, it was a Cumberland Farms. I don’t really know if these convenience stores exist all over the country or just in New England, but if you aren’t familiar with Cumby’s, let me just say that …

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Losing It (And Rediscovering It)

A few days ago I misplaced something in my own house. It was a small stack of books. Five copies of my own novel that were earmarked for a giveaway on Goodreads. I had them. They were on the kitchen counter, right near the breadbox. They were there for days. And then I picked them …

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Just Wipe It Off

Isn’t wonderful how our loved ones are completely perfect? Just kidding. My loved ones drive me crazy. A single friend once told me she admires the way I so generously accept my husband’s faults. I laughed really hard at that one. I don’t accept his faults. They really irk me. (I love the word ‘irk’, …

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Sending The Right Message

Yesterday, when I was driving home from the supermarket, ahead of me was one of those big, fancy pickup trucks. As the light turned red, I came up close on his tail, and I saw that he had a decal on the back window of his cab. This was no normal decal – no Praise …

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Just A Second

There’s an old joke:  The definition of a split second is the interval between when the light turns green and when the guy behind you honks his horn. We all know we’ve been there too….both as the honker and the honkee. But I’d like to suggest – as part of my Year Of Kindness – …

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Terms of Endearment

I can easily come up with dozens of little kindnesses that I’ve experienced lately. If I go back further, I can come up with hundreds. Maybe thousands in my whole lifetime, which is about 2/3 of a century now. I’m grateful for those kindnesses and also grateful that I remember them. I’d hate to let …

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Neighborly

Now that I am in a Kindness mania – and is there a better mania to be in? – I was reminded by a reader of the importance of being a good neighbor. I don’t believe I have listed neighborly kindnesses, except in the sense that we are all neighbors. But I should mention the …

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When You Don’t Feel Like It

I’m trying to concentrate on Kindness this year. Practicing Kindness is pretty easy when you are being appreciative to those you love or considerate to benign strangers. Holding the door for someone with an armload of packages or buying a treat for your spouse is a piece of cake… (literally, if that is the treat …

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