Tough Questions

The issue of O magazine waiting for me at the therapist's office offered challenges this month. I've had to think about my responses, rather than just taking the first idea that came into my head.

I’m so glad I learned the secret to … making good gravy: use cornstarch, rather than flour, and you won’t have lumps. Many people judge the meal, as well as the cook, on the gravy.

But I hope I never figure out … how to work complicated mathematical problems! Math and I stay as far away from one another as is humanly possible.

When I need help with life’s mysteries, I turn to … a good book. Asking family and/or close friends makes me too vulnerable, and I probably already know what they will say, so an author (writing for a universal reader) keeps the advice pertinent, as well as important, and the reader can personalize it to fit.

My next challenge is figuring out … how to make a contribution without dealing with the demands people want in return. Far too often my volunteerism quickly consumes my life and I am working a full-time job with no pay, no benefits, and limited thanks.

If you could offer one piece of advice to the world, it would be … as Elvis believed, Take care of business, rather than sitting on the stoop and waiting for someone else to take care of your business for you. I don’t owe you anything, but you owe yourself whatever it is that makes your life complete. You don’t know that you cannot have what you want/need unless you first figure out how to work toward it and then put your plan into action. Doing nothing gets you ... nothing.