We are often so immersed in everyday demands that we have little time to step back and contemplate those daily issues that catch us all up, entangling and complicating our lives. MacAllister looks anew at such age-old dilemmas as falling into love; money and what it can not do for you; playing it safe or taking risks; when a loss can really be a victory; aging; beauty, sex, clothes, food and friendships. Then she turns them upside down and inside out to find rich meaning, texture and new possibilities.
Born during World War II and raised in the "proper" 50s, the author attended college during the tumultuous 60s, celebrated women's liberation during the 70s, and then chucked it all in the 80s, moving west to New Mexico. As a social worker for 35+ years in mental health and higher education, she observed people struggling with their lives. More than anything, she felt people needed a new perspective, a way to step back and contemplate who they were and where they really wanted to go. Psychotherapy is effective, but expensive and accessible to relatively few. A weekly newspaper column was her answer. This book is a collection of her favorite columns.