Why do we gather when someone dies? It’s a major milestone in both the deceased’s life and the life of his/her survivors. It’s often too
Category: Personal Essay
Sisterhood(s)
The 3 of us, my first sisterhood: Camelia, Claudia (“Nikki”) and me. Learning this valuable lesson: that sisterhood means being part of a tribe that always
Making Meaning
When my son died in 2010, in those first few weeks and months, I had a hard time feeling as though my life still had
Goodbye To A Year Of Goodbyes
This year began with death. On January 8, 2019 I witnessed my “baby” sister take her last breath after two years of battling ALS. In
A Letter Not Sent
The holiday season can be a horror show for those who have experienced loss of a loved one, especially if the loss happened during this
Through The Pain
You’ve got to take a deep dive into the center of the pain, immerse yourself in it, the way you would immerse yourself in a
Giving Thanks
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! In past blog posts, I’ve extolled the benefits of a gratitude practice (Gratitude: The Practice and Gratitude: The Concept). Today on the
The Five Wishes©
If I could choose the scene of my death, it would look something like this: in my home, in my bed, in my sleep. Totally
Dreams
Lately, the things that scare me aren’t death or disease. Although given what I’ve been through in the past ten years (lots of deaths, lots
Evacuate?
Saturday, October 26, 2019, 5:30 pm – The Kincade fire, a two-hour drive north of me in Sonoma County, is spreading and the wind is
Where Suffering Resides
Suffering resides in the space between expectation and reality. I’ll offer a few examples: Expectation: that my son would outlive me. Reality: He did not. Expectation: that
Grief Hurts
Grief is the pain associated with loss. It’s normal to want the pain to stop, to want it to go away. It’s normal to feel
