Author Archives: Djanka Gajdel

Celibacy, A Temporary Prescription

Pope Francis recently stated, “there is no contradiction for priests to marry. Celibacy in the western church is a temporary prescription,”  to which my reply is, “Shut the front door!”  How can they suggest that celibacy, which has existed for a millennium or lasted over 11 centuries, is temporary? A word defined as “lasting for only a […]

LENT – Let’s Eliminate Negative Thinking

Lent is a time when I reflect upon my strict Catholic upbringing, having transcended it into a spiritual discipline and practice. For Christians, Orthodox or Anglican traditions, it’s a period of contemplation in preparation for Easter. For the non-religious, it can be a time of mindful meditation. Training the mind to be present and conscious […]

Everything is Fluid

Another holiday season and year have passed with no-go boots or bright pink hot pants beneath the tree. I suspect that’s a good thing. The psychological implications should I have been the recipient of those Christmas gifts would be cruel, scarring my family’s psyche. No fruit cake this year. Actually, there hasn’t been for the […]

Gifts to Remember

My mother did not have that je ne sais quoi regarding gift giving. She gifted things she denied herself, then was pissed they weren’t received with the same appreciation she would have for them. Ironically, that experience taught me the art of gift-giving. The golden rule being it must have the person’s tastes and likes all over […]

Don’t Pull the Goalie

Nothing like a paradox around a socially explosive subject matter. Especially with the mid-term elections upon us. Recently Gabrielle Blair Published a book titled “Ejaculate Responsibly.” She’s a mom to six, a Mormon and explains how best to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Though evident, she shines the universal truth on the elephant in the room. A […]

A Fait Compli

We are a generation of women that witnessed the longevity of Queen Elizabeth’s service until she would crossover, and that time has come. Queen Elizabeth came from the same generation as our mothers, guiding us with the sensibilities they acquired from that time. I admired her nonnegotiable position and unwavering integrity, consistently demonstrating loyalty to […]

Stella!

So we got a dog. It wasn’t a pandemic or empty nester thing. It was a phone call from a friend who breeds dogs, indicating she was having a litter of Bernadoodles and knew we would be interested, and she was right. I grew up with cats, and my husband grew up with dogs and […]