Author: Maureen Sullivan

Dear Lin…
Dear Lin, You’ll never see this, but I just have to write it. Stunned by your virtuosity and humanity, Alexander Hamilton’s genius, the music, the lyrics, the actors’ brilliance, the game-changing style and casting, the zeal with which my fellow …

Helping Children Thrive: How I Spoke Up for One Little Girl
The day I first met Rikki in the parking lot of a Motel 6, she handily captured my heart. I had actually started to care about her even before that first meeting. As a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer …
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Compulsive Liars: The Truth About Lying
“You’re a despicable liar!” These words, shouted by my 11-year-old cousin, John, were etched into my mind some forty years ago. Not because they stung, but because I was so struck by John’s impressive use of the word “despicable,” and …

Confessions of a (Narrow-minded?!) Liberal: Using Friendship to Heal the Political Divide
Chad (not his real name) and I dated in high school. Now we’re friends on Facebook. We do the normal Facebook things, like sending happy birthday wishes, sharing and commenting on cute old photos, and retelling funny stories from the …

The Sweet Spot: Relief from the Fear of Death through Mindfulness
If you have ever lain awake in the middle of the night pondering death, heart racing, icy hot fear coursing through your body as your mind tries desperately to find solid ground, you are not alone. Let me say that …
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Empathy: How it Can Help Us All Right Now
In the aftermath of the most contentious election in recent history, many people are talking about the need for empathy in order to heal our divided nation. Facebook posts are flying around that charge us to rise above the rancor …

Living Mom’s Life?
“I think I want to be good.” A warm tear rolls down my cheek. My ten-year-old and I are watching the climactic scene of Descendants, a new movie from Disney Channel. The girl uttering this revelation is Mal, daughter of Maleficent. She is …

What ‘Inside Out’ Can Teach Us About Loving Our Kids
The other day I recommended the movie Inside Out to my friend, Cynthia, as an intervention. Her favorite niece, Emily, is going through puberty. The sweet little girl who used to love shopping and doing craft projects with her aunt, is now moody …
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The Bad Seeds
The Monsanto Corporation has the distinction of being known as “the World’s Most Evil Corporation,” at least in some circles. This is because Monsanto’s patented, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are a threat to our health, freedom and environment. A genetically …