Friday, July 26, 2013

Mary Worth 1,640

Shortly after my mother-in-law passed away, my father-in-law, only in his late fifties, said to me with tears brimming in his eyes, "You can't understand this until you've gone through it." It's a moment I've never forgotten. It taught me that there is a difference between compassion and empathy, and it is good to be compassionate as long as you remember the limits of your empathy.

I believe his counsel has helped me in my life as I have the opportunity in my professional work to be associated with many widows and widowers. They have taught me many things about grief, about life, and about love as several of them have opened up their hearts much as my father-in-law did.

I admire each of these people for their courage and their faith and their hope that they can emerge stronger, more compassionate, and supportive of those who walk the same path they are walking.

I am quite sure none of them have ever said, shrugging their shoulders, "When my soul mate died, it was a great lesson! I learned that I want to be remembered! La-di-da, la-di-da."

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Mary Worth 1,638

Please let tomorrow's strip begin with my favorite words: "Let me tell you a story..." Please, please please. And please let that story be about Mary's crazy college days with star athlete and student body president Jack Worth (awesome), instead of how she moved on after Jack's death (snore). Or it could just be more walking through the desert. That would be nice, too.

Today's Full Strip

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Mary Worth 1,637

It was presumptuous of me to assume yesterday that the story was ending, when it really never began. Fortunately, there seems to be some sort of African lion hiding in the background, stalking Mary, ready to pounce. This story could get interesting really fast.

Today's Full Strip

Monday, July 22, 2013

Mary Worth 1,636

The Arizona desert served as the perfect metaphor for the loneliness of widowhood in this heartbreaking story, and now that it's over, Mary can return to Santa Royale with a New Perspective. It's the rich character development that makes this comic strip so deeply enduring. I've been weeping all day at June's Pain and Mary's New Perspective.

Today's Full Strip

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Mary Worth 1,635

Well, I come back from a week of camping in hot and muggy Virginia (heat index: 105), only to find Mary Worth wandering into the Arizona desert. It may be in the 90's there, but its a dry heat. I hope she's got another bottle of "Agua" with her.

It's nice to be back. I can't tell you how nice it is to be back. It's going to take a few weeks to recover from this alleged "vacation." I look forward to catching up on everyone's comments.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Mary Worth 1,634

Dry those eyes, Chin Napkin. The Deep Emotions that Pax Wellness Center brings out in everyone will keep you very, very busy indeed.

Speaking of another "Beloved Mary..."

Today's Full Strip

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Mary Worth 1,633

We get to enjoy Mary's yoga class, and now her healthy midday meal, but what happened to our massage? We don't get to watch Mary get a massage? I feel let down.

I guess I better go get my own massage. Pax Wellness Center, here I come. I'll see you all in a week!

Today's Full Strip

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Mary Worth 1,632

There's a difference between crossing the state line and going into a trans-meditative state. One takes longer.

Today's Full Strip

Friday, July 12, 2013

Mary Worth 1,631

Good writing is 80 percent research, and clearly Karen Moy, our beloved author, has done a great deal of research into the secret world of yoga. It's almost as if she herself signed up for an entire hour of yoga in order to give this compelling story the rich detail that makes it seem so true.

On the other hand, our beloved artist Joe Giella might want to Google "yoga mat."

- - - - - - - - - - - -

I hope everyone had a good Free Slurpee Day. I have a couple of weeks off, so I took my son on an errand, and we just happened to pass four 7-Elevens, but we could only handle three free Slurpees. It was a wonderful day.

Today's Full Strip

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Mary Worth 1,629

So, the Pax Wellness Center appears to be as advertised, and the driver is really pleasant... It looks like when Mary Worth said she wanted a change of scenery, it was about as much of a plot as we are going to get. Whew. I was worried that something would happen.

Today's Full Strip

Monday, July 8, 2013

Mary Worth 1,628

So, is Mary taking a bus smack dab through the center of an Arizona wildfire? That's a lot of smoke I see through her scenic window.

Today's Full Strip

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Mary Worth 1,627

Well, if we've learned anything from Mary Worth and Toby, it's that the Internet is Bad. I think Mary ought to pay a little visit to TripAdvisor.com before she ends up wandering alone in the middle of the Arizona desert. Of course, Trip Advisor is on the Internet, so it's a bit of a conundrum.

Today's Full Strip

Friday, July 5, 2013

Mary Worth 1,626

I sense an episode of the Brady Bunch coming on...

We had planned a Grand Canyon vacation a few Christmases ago, but there was a blizzard, so we ended up in Tuscon instead. We visited the Old Tuscon Studios and saw where some classic westerns were filmed, but the highlight was visiting Saguaro National Park.

Today's Full Strip

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Mary Worth 1,625

Mary's desire to travel and see the country is contagious. I'd like to do the same thing. Maybe this will satisfy my wanderlust...

You're welcome.

Today's Full Strip

Monday, July 1, 2013

Mary Worth 1,624

A family is on its way? Oh, joy. Oh, rapture. Although I will say that was a suspiciously short engagement.

Workaholic Tom Harpman doesn't seem too interested in helping Mr. Allora.