Articles written by Shirley Lake

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About me - Shirley Lake

Shirley Ann Lake (Galloway, NJ) founded and was the Editor of *Still Waters Press* until her retirement in early 2007; she served as Managing Editor of the press from 1989-2006. Her poems have appeared in Georgia Review, The Cream City Review, The Lowell Pearl,

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Religion & Spirituality > Atheism & Agnosticism Why atheists can still be spiritual: 1 of 24
Spiritual feelings grace human life, even an atheist's life, with a sense of wonder, consolation, and meaning. Often described as a "peak experience," a few moments of intense emotional awareness seem, afterward, so magical, so mysterious, that they are long remembered. Later on, however, they prove to be, almost impossible t... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Danger: 1 of 16
The Night Guard at the Women's ShelterExhausted but alert,responsible for the undisturbedrest of seventeen sleeping women,I'm not surprisedby late-night radio.Tonight, a caller from Indianaconfesses her dilemmato the radio psychologist:"I had to give up smoking,"she says, "because I keptwondering what would happenif I stuck a... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Facing death: 4 of 57
Death, being inevitable, need not be a fearsome idea.I've been here on Earth for 70 years now, years filled with wonder, pain, love, learning, adventure, joy, satisfaction, peace, contentment, turmoil, etc. It's been a helluva ride, and, so far, it just keeps keeping on.Lately, because my health has such ups and downs, I'm pa... More..
Relationships & Family > Friendship Drama & Issues Dealing with mood issues' effect on friendships: 1 of 10
Regular entanglement in a friend's negative moods can leave you with a jungle of feelings you need to tame yourself. For example, as the sympathetic "listener" to all the sad stories a depressed person tells on a daily basis, you want to help. You rack your brain for some words to say that might alleviate your friend's sadnes... More..
Relationships & Family > Communication Issues The truth: Do we really want to hear it?: 5 of 47
*The Three T's of Truthful Engagement: Truth, Trust, and Tact*If *Truth* presents in your mind as some bizarre aspect of social engagement, threatening you with punishment, banishment, and other personal sacrifice for speaking the truth, perhaps the other two T's *Tact and Trust* are lacking.If the truthful words you are abo... More..
Computers & Technology > Phone Technologies & Issues Should cell phone use be banned while driving?: 30 of 271
Commonly stated objections to behind-the-wheel cell phone use sound quite similar to one another:1. Driver takes hand(s) off steering wheel2. Driver averts eyes from road to look at cell phone3. Driver's concentration divided between road and phone4. Driver may need to bend toward floor to retrieve fallen phone5. Driver may b... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Revenge: 1 of 8
- WHY VENGEANCE FAILS -Vengeance, the infliction of injury, harm, humiliation, or the like, on a person by another who has been harmed by that person,* fails to mollify the original perceived "injury, harm, humiliation."* fails to pacify, fails to restore a calm or peaceful state to either party.* fails to appease the appetit... More..
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: World War II: 3 of 21
World War II: A Child's Story"A child is supposed to be happy when her daddy comes home from the war."I was only eight years old that day but, because a big American flag draped the doorway of our little place in the long, brick row house, because a flimsy gold-fringed banner blazed "Welcome Home, Soldier!" in our window, and... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Spiritual Insights Is mind-reading real or fake?: 10 of 69
As every mother's child knows, mind reading is real. Just like Santa Claus, moms know whether you've been bad or good. This seems magical, supernatural, and downright frightening to the child. But it also feels comforting. It's reassuring to believe someone who loves you is at your side all the time, visible or not.To varying... More..
Health & Fitness > Medical Issues (Other) Can doctors be fully trusted?: 6 of 33
Medical mistakes happen. Hundreds, nay, thousands of them. Every day, every year. Medical treatment, it was reported in 1999, tallied up between 44,000 and 98,000 deaths that year which were directly due to "medical errors" (1). This report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) also attributed 7,000 patient deaths annually to "m... More..