When we encounter someone who is grieving, we tend to want to say things that will help them feel better, perhaps even help them feel
Category: Personal Essay
Unlearning What To Say & Do
What’s one of the first things we’re told when we experience loss as young children? When something disappoints us, or our feelings get hurt, or
Just A Breath Away
I haven’t blogged since the beginning of January. Sometimes it’s important to live an experience, purely immerse oneself in it, without the safety net of
A Good Death?
Living can be hard. Dying – it turns out – can actually be harder. I am grateful to live in a right-to-die state. If I
Everything Happens For A Reason. Ha!
Death is a mystery. How it happens, when it happens, to whom it happens. We yearn to understand, to be able to explain why, to
Why You Should Pick Me
Because I’ve been there. To hell and back. Because I have more than an inkling of what lies ahead. I know you don’t care about
The Tattoo I Never Got
Most of the tattooed people I know are women. This seems weird to me (perhaps because of my age – 60). For the longest time,
The Guilt Baggage
guilt |gilt| (noun): a feeling of having done wrong or failed in an obligation Guilt is what almost took me down. The sadness, the anger,
All The Parts Of Me
When I was earning my Masters degree in Counseling Psychology, I would often ask the clients to think of the different parts of themselves. For
Podcast: “Beauty In The Breakdown”
I have what I hope will be an exciting announcement: I’m going to be hosting a podcast! The plan is to interview “experts” on the
The Holidays
The holiday season is a minefield for those who are grieving. It starts with Halloween. If it is your child who has died, there will
Gratitude – The Practice
Start simple. Start with the big-ticket items: your home, your car. Start with the minutiae: clean sheets, the smell of bacon. Start with the people:
