I’m someone who feels my feelings. I don’t run from them. I name them and confront them and sit with them. I’ve learned to be
Category: Personal Essay
Uncertainty
We don’t like it. We find it unsettling. Anxiety-provoking. Nerve-wracking. Uncomfortable. We like patterns. Patterns allow us to predict. To plan. To count on a
The Clear & Present Petri Dish
Earlier this week I was sitting in my living room watching on live TV as a cruise ship, with 21 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus,
Post-Traumatic Growth
Post-traumatic WHAT? “Trauma doesn’t result in growth!” you might protest. “Trauma results in stress and distress and ruined lives. For goodness sake we even have
Celebrate A Life / Honor The Memory
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
The Sisterhood(s)
The 3 of us, my first sisterhood: I was 7 and 9 when Camelia and then Claudia (we called her “Nikki”) joined the family. I
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
