On the back porch early—time to get this month's newsletter done! The morning light is soft, the air is cool—48 degrees in August and it feels like Autumn already. I have my hooded sweater on, wow.. Kids are back in school, routines are shifting, and though Summer isn’t over, the longer light days are winding down.

Driving home now, sunset comes sooner. I can tell how the adjusting room sunlight seems to move faster. Mornings are darker too—my alarm goes off and I'm now up at “dark o’clock.” I’m a natural-light lover, so I take quick notice to these shift in the late summer light.

BJ Palmer, the Developer of Chiropractic, loved shortening words. So here's

a “Chiro thot” on Light.

And just like that, it’s the golden heart of summer. Ahh, August! How is it that we wait all year for summer to arrive—and zoom—it’s halfway over, and the stores already have holiday decorations on display? What’s the message here?

 It feels like the world is always trying to rush us forward. But let’s not miss what’s right in front of us. As the saying goes, “Today is the gift—that’s why it’s called the present.”

Every year, I make sure to get my toes in the sand, support a kid’s lemonade stand, enjoy a juicy slice of watermelon, and search for that perfect drip-down-my-chin peach. What summer rituals bring you joy?

One recent conversation in the office sparked my thought for this issue:

our bodies are always working for us, whether we notice or not.

We hear the obvious messages:

• Stomach rumbling? Time to eat.

• Bladder full? Better find a bathroom.

• Heart racing? Could be a sprint across the lot—or that suspenseful movie.

But what about the quiet functions—the ones that don't speak up until it's too late? Think about how we care for our teeth: we brush, floss, and visit the dentist before anything hurts. Same with vision—we get checkups even when we see “just fine.” Why? Because we’ve been taught to pursue self care proactively.

Lately, I’ve been noticing that everywhere I go, I see —heads down, eyes on screens.

At the dinner table, on the beach, walking the dog, in the drive-thru line, while getting a pedicure.

And although cell phones have made life more convenient, somewhere along the way, we’ve started missing what’s right in front of us.

We scroll to pass the time, swipe to feel connected, tap to buy, tap again to escape. And, poof.. true present time consciousness is so easily lost.

"Show me a deep breath…"

I ask you to breathe in whenever you’re on the table. Why? Because your breathing tells me so much about your spine and nerve system!

(Deep gratitude to my teacher, mentor, and dear friend, the late Dr. Arno Burnier, who helped me truly understand the wisdom in observing breath during my spinal analysis.)

Spring is a time for blooms. Every morning I spy new colorful offerings that weren't there the day before. Snowdrops, forsythia, daffodils, and grape hyacinths. They fill me with joy and surprise! Of course, the blooms were there the day before, but in a different form. In a bud that wasn't fully open. The right conditions of temperature and soil nutrients and warm sunlight gave the bud what it needed to become full!

February made sure we knew it was winter! But in just a few days, we'll set the clocks ahead, welcoming the slow return of warmth. Funny how time plays tricks on us; slow traffic feels endless, yet time with loved ones flies by. Kids can't wait for spring, while teens feel the slow itch of waiting for adulthood. Everybody's in a rush!

“525,600 minutes.. How do you measure a year in a life? .. measure in love..” 

- ’Seasons of Love’, Rent

This year marks eighteen years since we moved our practice here from around the corner, and we've been blessed with many seasons since. Winter 2025 is certainly showing her extremes: 43 degrees one day, then plunging to -13 the next! While some are counting down to spring, each season brings its own gifts. Snowmen, skiing, cocoa, warm socks. The frozen waterfall and amazing deer visits from the adjusting room windows too! The cozy quiet of winter invites us to pause, reflect, appreciate and renew.

Here's to ringing in the new year with peace. Here's how:

Carry over the good memories and savor the accomplishments of this past year. Remember those who have made their transition, those whose lives and actions made a difference in yours. Celebrate the fond moments of joy that were shared. Look back on all you did that was good, enjoyed and achieved!

Growing up, TV sure had fewer channels, and many shows were instantly recognizable by their theme songs! I remember a fun piano bar in Greenwich Village, NYC, where they sang TV classics that totally date me: The Beverly Hillbillies, The Addams Family, The Jetsons, The Flintstones, All in the Family. And come to think of it, they all shared a common theme: family!

We didn’t even realize we’d memorized every word, to sing along and join in the fun. It was a locked in memory; once we heard the music the rest was easy.

Change is all around us, in more ways than one! I’m reminded of an old chiropractic joke:

Q: Why did dinosaurs become extinct?

A: They failed to adjust!

Right now, adjusting is essential to keep up with all the changes happening around us. Temperatures are dropping, so we bundle up for warmth. Animals naturally adapt too, thickening their fur in winter and shedding in spring. Here in the Northeast, we’re shifting from open windows and AC to cozying up with blankets, fireplaces, and pellet stoves. I even recall the clanking sounds of radiator heat in my old 1890s childhood home and my New York City brownstone apartment too.

Change is one thing we can always count on. We had a lovely stretch of warm September days, but with a new season, change is in the air. We see it in the darker mornings, feel it in the crisp air (hello, ‘sweata weatha’), and enjoy the warm afternoon light as the leaves start to turn. It's time for mums, apples, corn mazes, and homecomings. Welcome, Autumn!

For many of us, New Year's Day, January 1st, is often seen as a chance for a fresh start. But September 1st can also be an opportunity to renew or even change the direction of goals we might have set for this year.

Life, as we've come to know it has become faster, more fleeting, and occasionally, blurry. The very fact that I'm writing this newsletter for the 8th month of 2024 boggles the mind!

Believe me when I tell you, that more and more, I 'get it'.. like why people leave their Christmas lights up! My days are filled with to-do lists, goal setting, errands, zoom calls, deadlines, projects, chores. Does this sound familiar? And it seems, one week I'm checking your children, watching their heights change on the "How Tall Wall", then suddenly they are driving themselves in to get checked. wow..

How does time pass so quickly? Same 24/7 but somehow we went from being on Zoom call to living IN a zoom life..leading to the catch phrase "never a dull moment".

And, we are launched into Summer! These are the weeks of high temps, long light, vacations. The season of color! Of green grass, peaches, iridescent bubbles, and sandy shores with fluffy high clouds. People are breaking out their bright cool clothing and favorite toys, big and small are in view! A child's pail and shovel, sidewalk chalk, or surfboard to catch some waves! And the flags will soon be flying to celebrate our nation’s independence with brilliant fireworks filling the night skies.

It's All About the Flow

I so love it when the sliding door is open to hear a most impactful sound as I check patients. The vibrant force of water flowing is an auditory reminder that I am here to ensure everyone's nerve system is flowing at optimal function by being subluxation-free!

There's another water/flow reminder in the office living room. Have you ever taken notice of the framed waterscape scene on the wall above the chairs?

It's Niagara Falls! I've set the subliminal learning for you: Life is meant to flow.

That One Perfect Gift

 Over the years, hunting for birthday or special occasion gifts hasn't always been easy. Perhaps you select something that was requested. Other times, flowers or a gift card are just right.

But sometimes you found that one special gift; like a rare find, the one I couldn't wait to give! The one you know is..The One. To witness your gift being opened and revealed, eyes wide, the recipient blown away and your insides shout 'yes!' Perhaps a limited edition book, tickets to a sold out show, a cake you baked or homemade gift. It truly is the thought that counts.

Winter's past. It's a new season and the earth warms, renews. And even with so much going on, it’s a wonderful gift to be alive, to witness the change that surrounds us and to be in gratitude.

I invite you to pause whatever you’re doing and just BE for a second. Look around you and take in the colors, the sights, sounds and textures. Then, take a breath! By the way, if you did all that AND interpreted my words here, think about all that your brain just did.

You are amazing!

Taking notes, whether in college, at seminars or for patient visits, I often resort to abbreviations and occasionally, some high school steno. I learned clever letters and symbols for both speed and even some privacy.

And this was way before the acronyms of texting. Now we have OMG, BFF, TMI and so many more. By now there is likely a glossary to help figure out what they all mean. Lol.. :-D

 But sometimes they are just for me to simply recall a comment or special moment shared during an office visit. I use symbols like an up arrow, to let me know patient had a positive change since their last appointment. Sometimes a smiley face, an exclamation point, or an underscore to note that the adjustment was a profound experience or an ‘aha’ moment.