I watch for great quotes the way kids hunt Easter eggs, eagerly peering around every corner in case a good one is nestled nearby. It’s one of my favorite parts about reading – the way some sentences jump off the page and into the core of who you are or who you want to be.

Author Susan Cain said that the point of writing is “to tell the truth about what it’s like to be alive.” Yes, I thought. That’s it! I love it when a single line rings true in every cell of my body.

You don’t have to be an avid reader or a writer to love great quotes. In fact, the best quotes are like medicine, offering a dose of hope, determination, joy, or a simple reminder to be kind to yourself in this overwhelming world.

So, in the spirit of spring and new growth, here are 15 quotes I love. When I find one, I write it on a notecard and keep it on my desk or screen shot it with my phone so I can keep discovering it over and over again, in hope that its truth soaks through my stubbornness until it mingles with marrow.

Here’s hoping these words help us renew our sense of what it’s really like to be alive.

When you’re afraid to try:

“Don’t be too timid or squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment.” (Essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson)

When you’re feeling whiny:

“The true joy in life is to be a force of fortune instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.” (Playwright George Bernard Shaw)

When you need to keep pushing:

“Enthusiasm is common. Endurance is rare.” (Psychology professor and author of the book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance Angela Duckworth)

When you need to remember the upside of feeling down:

“You’ll have bad times, but it’ll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren’t paying attention to.” (Robin Williams’ character Sean in the movie Good Will Hunting.)

When you need to take a risk:

“There are too many people in the world today who decide to live disappointed rather than risk feeling disappointed.” (Brene Brown, research professor and author of Atlas of the Heart)

When your work is hard:

“It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard… is what makes it great.” (Tom Hanks’ character Jimmy Dugan in the movie A League of Their Own.)

When your inner control freak gets too loud:

“Reality doesn’t need you to help operate it.” (Michael Singer)

When you’d rather avoid hard things:

“It is not fear that stops you from doing the brave and true thing in your daily life. Rather, the problem is avoidance. You want to feel comfortable, so you avoid doing or saying the thing that will evoke fear and other difficult emotions. Avoidance will make you feel less vulnerable in the short run, but it will never make you less afraid.” (Dr. Harriet Lerner in the book The Dance of Fear)

When you need to lighten up:

“Don’t take life too seriously. You’ll never get out alive.” (Bugs Bunny)

When your thoughts torture you:

“Your thoughts are just visitors. You don’t have to believe all of them.” (Anonymous)

When you’re running low on hope:

“The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance, but live right in it, under its roof.” (Barbara Kingsolver)

When you underestimate simple kindness:

“Sometimes it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.” (Actor and martial artist Jackie Chan)

When you’re broken-hearted:

“Do not apologize for crying. Without this emotion, we are only robots.” (Elizabeth Gilbert)

When you feel stuck:

“The act of fretting about the future won’t help keep everything on track… You find solace in action, inching forward into the future, doing tiny bits of the things that are causing the anxiety.” (Oliver Burkeman)

When you doubt the power of love:

“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope.” (Poet Maya Angelou)

Gwen Rockwood is a syndicated freelance columnist. Email her at gwenrockwood5@gmail.com. Her new novel is available on Amazon.

If you haven’t heard about the company called Budsies, here’s a link so you can check it out. Click HERE to go to the site and see some of the creations that have been made using only a child’s crayon drawing. (This is NOT an affiliate link or any kind of paid ad. We don’t make a dime. We just think this would make such a fun gift!)

If your son or daughter wants a doll that looks like them, you can check out Budsies Selfies, which makes a doll from a photo of your child or loved one. The sister company Petsies makes plushies by using a photo of your pet. It’s incredible how accurate they look! They can also use a photo of your pet to make custom pajamas, golf head covers, pet portraits and throw pillows.

It’s never too early to start shopping for Christmas or birthday presents! Hope you or your little one can make something special that becomes a fun keepsake.

You’ll find free, family-friendly events in this line-up that cater to different age groups, including kids as young as 3-6

Trail Mix 

Date and time: Friday, May 1 | 5:30-7:30pm 

Location: Lower Ramble, Fayetteville 

About this event: Artosphere’s signature event for all ages featuring pop-up appearances by Common Roots, cellist Peco Singer, woodwind duo Sarah Reed & Michael Hannah, Trio Las Hermanitas Álvarez and Inspyral Circus. Other activities led by Wild Birds Unlimited and University of Arkansas’ Ento-Roadshow – a mobile classroom for bug enthusiasts. 

Rowdy in the Ramble 

Date and time: Friday, May 1 | 7:30-10:30pm 

Location: Upper Ramble, Fayetteville 

About this event: Keep the party going after Trail Mix at Artosphere’s newest event! Bring a blanket and your dancing shoes for live music from Arkansauce and two-stepping with Jumpsuit Jamey & the Can’t Wait to Play Boys. Enjoy fire performances by Inspyral Circus, plus food, drinks and craft vendors. 

the Boy & the Ball

Performance dates and locations:

• May 12-13, 10am & 4pm | Fayetteville Public Library 
• May 14-15, 10:30am & 1pm | Bentonville Public Library 
• May 16-17, 10am & 2pm | Jones Center, Springdale 

Register at artospherefestival.org 

About this show: A wondrous tale of reassurance, joy and connection…with a little magic!  wondrous tale of reassurance, joy and connection…with a little magic! This 30-minute show tells the story of how one friend can become many through a shy boy’s nonverbal performance. Ages 3+. 

Instrument “Petting Zoo”

Date and time: Saturday, May 16 | 2-4 pm 

Location: Art and Movement Room, Fayetteville Public Library 

About this event: A tactile musical experience with local artist and teacher Honnah Heartsong. All ages.  

Paper Bead Making Workshop FREE 

Date and time: Sunday, May 10 | 2 pm 
Location: Fayetteville Public Library 

How to register: Registration opens April 19 at faylib.org. 
About this event: Make colorful paper beads and turn them into bracelets! Adults only. 

Upcycled Birdfeeder Drop-In Workshop FREE 

Date and time: Wednesday, May 13 | 3:30pm 

Location: Fayetteville Public Library 

All ages welcome. 

First Friday in Bentonville | May 1 

Community Creative Center Pottery Festival | May 1-3 

Square 2 Square Bicycle Ride | May 2 

Strawberry Festival | May 16-17 

Good Clean Dirt: The Work of Fox Pass Pottery  FREE
Date and time: April 30-May 31 

Alexander Gallery at Porter Art Warehouse 

About this event: Presented by Community Creative Center’s Arkansas Pottery Festival, Hot Springs’ Larkin Family of Potters brings handmade and wheel thrown original works for viewing and purchasing to Fayetteville, with glaze patterns and colors that reflect our natural surroundings. 

Sometimes all you need to get something done — especially something you’re dreading — is another warm body. If you arrange to do that boring, hard thing while another person is nearby working on their own boring, hard thing, it’s called “body doubling.” Last weekend, I was reminded of just how much it can help.

Our daughter, who lives a half-hour away on her college campus, came home for Easter weekend, and I could tell she was battling serious end-of-semester burnout. She had a ton of things to do but zero motivation to do them. So I asked her which assignment on her list felt the heaviest, and she said it was a four-page essay.

I, too, had an unpleasant task I’d been putting off for weeks, so I proposed a deal. “You sit here at the kitchen island and start working on the essay, and I’ll start working on cleaning out those three kitchen drawers that are so full I can barely close them. Let’s see how much we can get done in an hour.”

We made the deal, mainly because the only thing worse than tackling a difficult project is tackling it alone. I didn’t help her write, and she didn’t help me sort, clean, and organize. But our quiet presence in the same room made it easier to focus on doing instead of dodging.

Is this just a physical illustration of the old saying “Misery loves company”? Maybe that’s a small part of it, but I think it goes deeper than that. Working alongside someone (even when you’re not working on the same task) drains the misery out of the experience and replaces it with a sense of “we’re in this thing together.”

The term “body doubling” was coined in 1996 by a woman named Linda Anderson, who specializes in coaching adults who struggle with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Long before Linda came up with the name for it, humans were instinctively seeking out their own body doubles without even realizing it. Why else would coffee shops and libraries be full of people on laptops all working on their own projects? They’re not there to socialize. They come to get things done in the presence of other humans who are getting things done.

Why does body doubling work for so many people? So far, there’s no direct medical research that explains exactly how and why it works, but there are scientific theories. One of those theories is about something called “mirror neurons.” Functional MRI scans show that certain areas of the brain cause us to imitate the behavior of people around us. If you’ve ever yawned because the person next to you yawned, you’ve already seen your mirror neurons at work.

Another reason body doubling might work is because the brain gets a little boost of dopamine when we’re with other people. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that’s earned the nickname “the feel-good hormone.” This hormone has a long list of important functions, but it’s essential for feeling motivated.

Here’s one last reason why working near another warm body might help keep us on task. It’s called “social facilitation theory,” and the thought behind it is that we perform better on a task when we’re with other people. If you’ve ever signed up for an exercise class, you already know this is true. You’ll push yourself to keep going when you’re in class far more than you would if you were alone. It’s easier to wimp out and quit when no one is there to see it.

Thousands of people who work alone from home offices have begun using online body-doubling services. It’s as easy as logging into a silent Zoom session where you can see other people working, and those people can see you, too. Everyone works for a set period of time, and there’s no chit-chat allowed. When the timer goes off, group members can share an update about what they got done.

I may try some of those body double sessions next week as my own work deadlines loom. When you’re writing alone at home, it’s far too easy to stop for “just a minute” to change a load of laundry and then wander into the kitchen for a glass of water. One thing leads to another, and suddenly two hours later you find yourself at the bottom of a bag of Tostitos while watching funny dog videos and feeling like a worthless lump of lazy. (Not that I’ve ever done that many, many times.)

Speaking of productivity, check back here next week when I’ll tell you the surprising things I found when I body doubled my college kid and finally conquered the kitchen’s junk drawer drama.

​Gwen Rockwood is a syndicated freelance columnist. Email her at gwenrockwood5@gmail.com. Her new novel is available on Amazon.

So, we will not sugarcoat it by saying that it’s always joyful. Because when a pet dies, it is gut-wrenching — on parents and on kids. Sometimes a parent’s grief for the pet is compounded by the grief we see our kids endure. Is the pain worth the love of a wonderful pet? In our view, absolutely.

But it’s good to have guidance from experts on how to handle it when you have to break the news of a pet’s death to your kids. When you know what to expect and how to prepare to give that news, you won’t feel as “on the spot” when your kids have questions or big feelings.

We found this GREAT list of “6 Tips for Handling Pet Loss with Children” on the UCLA Health website. It’s a short but well-written guide for getting through this very difficult event. We hope you’ll bookmark it in case you need it in the future.

Now, go love your fur babies. We are so lucky and blessed to have them.

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Experience the enchantment of The Wizard of Oz like never before when this dazzling ice show spins into town. The beloved tale springs to life before your eyes with a cast of world-renowned professional skating champions combining breathtaking performances with interactive elements for audiences of all ages. Join Dorothy’s iconic journey down the Yellow Brick Road and relive her magical encounters with the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion. Every moment is filled with mesmerizing choreography and stunning visuals. Don’t miss this unforgettable experience that will leave you and your family spellbound.

Here’s a sneak peek video of what to expect at the show:

HOW TO ENTER:

To throw your name in the online hat to win 2 tickets to see “The Wizard of Oz on Ice” at 7pm on Saturday, May 25, 2026 at The Jones Center scroll down to the bottom of this post (and past the comments posted by other moms) until you see the words “Leave a Reply.”

Then, write a quick comment telling us which one of the Wizard of Oz characters you like most. (We’re big fans of Scarecrow and Toto!)

We choose winners at random using a random number generator. But if you’d rather not leave it up to the luck of the draw, click here to purchase tickets online. (The matinee performance of this show has already sold out, so get your tickets for the 7pm showing asap.)

Good luck in the online drawing for tickets! We’ll email the winner soon so keep an eye on your inbox. 

In Dale Carnegie’s famous book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” he wrote that you should use a person’s name when you’re talking to them because “…a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

I’m not here to argue with Dale Carnegie because the five million books he sold can’t be wrong. But I do wonder if the sound of your own name is always as appealing as he claimed it is.

The other day, I stood across from a clerk who was running my credit card at a retail counter. She glanced at the name on the card and said, “Oh, that’s a nice name. I like it. It’s not a name you hear often.”

I thanked her for the compliment. But what she doesn’t know is that a name like Gwen rhymes with way too many common words used in conversation – words like “when” and “then” and “in” and “pen.” It’s a long list. There’ve been so many times when I’ve spun around to answer someone who wasn’t even talking to me but happened to be within earshot. For example:

Stranger 1: “Hey, did I tell you I’m going to Hawaii?”

Stranger 2: “Oh my gosh! WHEN?”

Me (turning around to face them): “Yes?”

Strangers 1 and 2 (confused about why I’m talking): “What?”

Me (Realizing I’ve fallen victim to another name rhyme): “Oh, I thought you said my name.”

Stranger 2: “Um, no.”

So I say “Sorry” and then act like I’m in a big hurry to get somewhere important, which is true, since I’m desperate to be anywhere but there, dealing with another episode of mistaken-name shame.

Now that I’m past 50, my new policy is to ignore it when I think I hear my name because there’s a good chance I’m wrong. And if the person really is calling my name, he or she will probably repeat it a few times because they’ll think my hearing is starting to fade. Or they’ll just give up and send me a text, which is the more practical way to go anyway.

My mother once told me she’d planned to name me “Gwendolyn Jane,” but my dad didn’t like the name, so she shortened it to “Gwen Ann.” My maiden name, Rule, was also short, so the whole thing together was only three stupid syllables. Drove me nuts.

Names are also often used as inspiration for teasing kids long before they’re ready to handle it. One day in second grade, this jerk-faced kid came up to me and called out, “Gwen, Gwen, the big fat hen!” which was ironic because I was so awkwardly skinny at the time that you could count my ribs when I took a deep breath. And even though it’s ancient history, I can still sometimes hear that sing-song chant in my head. (I wonder if all the fancy Jessicas or Jonathans of the world ever have these issues. I doubt it.)

But the good news is that the years have taught me to appreciate my short, not-too-common but rhymes-with-everything name. It’s simple and unassuming, so it suits me.

And as fate would have it, 27 years ago, I married a man who has a last name with eight whole letters and two syllables that rhyme with almost nothing. When it comes to the name game, that feels like quite the catch.

Gwen Rockwood is a syndicated freelance columnist. Email her at gwenrockwood5@gmail.com. Her books are available on Amazon.

Recently we saw an article in Allure magazine that shows how Denise Richards released photos that her cosmetic surgeon took in his office before and after her facelift. The photos are taken with the exact same camera at the exact same angle, same lighting, same facial expression — all without makeup. These clinical photos make it easier for us to get an accurate view of what is and is not possible with cosmetic surgery.

Kudos to Denise Richards for the honesty and for not trying to make other women believe that she looks like that thanks to a nice vacation, a juice cleanse, or “just a little Botox.” She has every right to find a great surgeon who can alter the issues that she wants to have addressed as she gets older. It would also be fine if she did zero cosmetic surgery, too. It’s her choice.

But this article and these unfiltered photos are also a good reminder not to get caught up in comparing your face to the face of someone who’s about the same age as you are — but may have had access to expensive cosmetic surgery. It’s simply not a fair comparison.

Click HERE to see the photos and read the article on the Allure website.

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Created by the Emmy®-winning writer from “Schitt’s Creek,” this hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told. & Juliet asks: what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as she ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love – her way.

Juliet’s new story bursts to life through a playlist of pop anthems as iconic as her name, including “Since U Been Gone‚” “Roar,” “Baby One More Time,” “Larger Than Life‚” “That’s The Way It Is“ and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” – all from the genius songwriter and producer behind more No. 1 hits than any other artist this century. Break free of the balcony scene and get into this romantic comedy that proves there’s life after Romeo. The only thing tragic would be missing it.

Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Here’s a video sneak peek of the show:

HOW TO ENTER:

To throw your name in the online hat to win 4 tickets to see “& Juliet” at 7pm on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at the Walton Arts Center, scroll down to the bottom of this post (and past the comments posted by other moms) until you see the words “Leave a Reply.”

Then, write a quick comment telling us about one of your all-time favorite rom-coms. If you can’t choose just one, give us your top 3.  We’ll go first: Our top 3 rom-coms would be “Pretty Woman,” “The Holiday,” and “When Harry Met Sally.”

We choose winners at random using a random number generator. But if you’d rather not leave it up to the luck of the draw, click here to purchase tickets online. This show will have eight performances during May 26th through May 31st, but it’s extremely popular so get your tickets quickly.

Good luck in the online drawing for tickets! We’ll email the winners soon so keep an eye on your inbox. 

This first unfortunate truth came from an email newsletter titled “Nice News.” I signed up to receive this newsletter several years ago because “nice” is right there in the name. Since most of the world’s news is anxiety-provoking and depressing, I thought a regular dose of nice news would do me good. About 99 percent of the time, it does. I highly recommend it.

But last week I opened a nice news email and found a tiny little mention about a “flying snake.” Perhaps they included the link for people who love reptiles. I should’ve deleted it immediately. I have enough scary things in my head without adding a “flying snake” into the mix.

But in addition to being anxious, I can also be compulsive. And because I wanted to make sure I never accidentally put myself near a flying snake habitat, I clicked the link. After reading the details, I have both good news and bad news.

Let’s start with the good news: The golden tree snake can’t actually fly. That’s where the good news ends.

The bad news is that what the snake does is so close to flying that it will now haunt my dreams from this moment forward. These snakes are about 4 feet long and mostly live in trees. They can launch themselves out of the top of a tree and then flatten out their bodies so much that they basically double in width. That flattened shape helps them glide through the air, the way a leaf might catch air currents as it falls from a tree.

While the snake is gliding, it does the signature slithering motion that all snakes like to do, and this motion helps it stay airborne even longer and “fly” up to 300 feet, according to one report. It also helps the snake steer its flight and land on its intended target.

Once I learned that flying snakes mostly live in Southeast Asia and some remote caves in western Cambodia, I promptly marked those spots off my list of places to visit and tried to put them out of my mind.

The next email was a different newsletter called “Nautilus,” which covers space, science, and biology. I was having a lovely time reading the newsletter updates when I noticed a link to something described as a “legless lizard.” Maybe it was the alliteration that got me, but suddenly I needed to know how a legless lizard gets around. So, like an idiot, I clicked. And then I saw the photo.

Can you guess what a legless lizard might look like? I’ll give you a hint. It does not look like a lizard. If you saw one in your yard, you’d yell “SNAKE!”

A lizard minus legs gets around only by slithering. And if you ask me, anything that slithers falls squarely into the snake category. But scientists disagree, saying this legless lizard has external ear holes and eyelids that can blink. Snakes, on the other hand, don’t have outer ears or traditional eyelids, which is how they can stare unblinkingly at you while you die of a terror-induced heart attack.

Both of these weird stories reminded me of a universal truth: “Things are not always as they seem.” That slithering thing on the ground might be a lizard. That thing gliding through the air might be a sky-slithering snake. That “military operation” might be a war. Everything we see and read, especially online, deserves a closer look and a willingness to double-check the facts, even when it’s scary.

Gwen Rockwood is a syndicated freelance columnist. Email her at gwenrockwood5@gmail.com. Her books are available on Amazon.