In fact, Marcia has been a fountain of grace during life's hardest moments, including after her mother, Beverly, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2009. "I learned quickly how each moment is so valuable, and so I spent time with my mom baking, cooking, doing flower arrangements and writing stories. By doing things together, you can imbue time with a kind of purposeful and familiar loving activity." Though her mother passed away in 2018, Marcia still treasures those memories and shares what she's learned with other women. Here, how she seizes all of life's moments with joy, confidence and an open heart.
MY TRUE ESCAPE
Find your inner artist
Pottery is one of the creative indulgences that helps ground Marcia-a passion that began in the 1990s while she was performing on Broadway. "I'm a practical potter; I just finished a wedding present for my co-star Skylar Astin and his bride, Chloe," Marcia shares of the dinner set she created. "Pottery is a meditation on shape and color, and usually I'm pushing myself to do something I haven't mastered. So the results can be glorious...or disastrous."
MY REJUVENATION SECRET
Nesting getaways
So where does Marcia find happiness and peace? "Oy! Within, of course," she says without any hesitation. "But I am a definite nester. I love a wood-burning fireplace, flowers, nature...I try to find them wherever I am. In my home in Upstate New York, I will often jump in my kayak and paddle down to the marsh where the call of a heron and eagle, the splash of a fish or the thwack of a beaver tail are all the music I need to recharge."
Marcia Supports Caregivers
BY SHARING PRECIOUS MEMORIES OF HER MOM
This story is from the June 24, 2024 edition of First for Women.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 24, 2024 edition of First for Women.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
GET YOUR BACKYARD SUMMER-READY!
It's time to get your outdoor space prepped for parties, family dinners and relaxing under the sun. These expert tips make it easy.
Cheery Cosmo Mix
Perk up your home with a bouquet of these summertime garden blooms
Celebrate in Style
It's time for summer parties, and our cakes and cupcakes offer something special for everyone
Dinner? Done!
Simple and satisfying meals to get you through the week
CAREGIVING, Finding Peace & ALWAYS GROWING with award-winning actress and author MARCIA GAY HARDEN
AS A WOMAN WHO WEARS MANY HATS personally and professionally, Marcia Gay Harden, 64, is no stranger to life's obstacles-and she's learned to handle any difficulty that comes her way. Although, the Oscarand Tony-winning actress and mom of three reveals that she does have one Achilles' heel: \"Patience is always my biggest challenge,\" Marcia shares with FIRST on set while filming the last episodes of her CBS sitcom So Help Me Todd. \"I'm impatient with ignorance, the unknown, with slow responses from texts, lack of logic...but I try to be better.\"
IS YOUR DOCTOR GASLIGHTING YOU?
Research shows that health-care professionals routinely dismiss, downplay or question women's health concerns. We talked to experts to find out why-and what you can do to ensure you get the care you deserve
Supercharge Brainpower WITH ESSENTIAL OILS
How to get a 226% boost in thinking— plus a bevy of other health perks
DETOX Your Liver
GOOD NEWS! A customized approach tailored to your body will help you reboot a sluggish liver and shed unwanted pounds-no deprivation required!
FLAVORFUL GREEK MEALS
Take a bite out of the Mediterranean with these vibrant and simple recipes
THE VIRAL TREND FOR GLOWING, SUN-KISSED SKIN
Discover how bronzing drops shed years from your look―for less