Somewhere in our second year of our travels, Chuck and I met friends for dinner in NJ, a state that had been our home for 2 decades. He served at McGuire AFB, both active duty and in civil service, following his retirement, and we raised our kids there. One of our friends asked us what […]
Military Widowed
Reverie~
I find myself lost in reverie frequently. Staring into the distance, seemingly. What I’m really doing is staring into the stillness of my heart, Into the stillness of memories long past. As I write this blog, my fingers trail off typing and it takes a few minutes to come back to the here and now, […]
Shared Hugs~
His hugs. I felt them through my entire body. In our early days together, it was my hugs to him as he returned from deployment. We generally never had an opportunity for farewell hugs. Only words if he had time to call me from work and bid me a hasty goodbye. Quick I love you’s between us […]
These Words~
You are alive. You are whole. I say these words in my head so that I might hear them in my heart. Chuck didn’t say these words to me, but he very easily could have. No, I read these words in a book last year, and they echoed strongly through me. If I listen closely […]
Mars and Venus and Me~
Several years ago, Just a couple years after Chuck’s death, A woman read my birth chart. She took into account where and when I was born. This wise woman, for that is who she was, drew my chart and studied the alignment of stars and constellations…where each one was on the morning I was born, […]
Orion and His Belt~
Like thousands of others, I went outside to look up into the Universe the other night to see if I could find Saturn and Jupiter joining to create the so called Christmas star. I have an app on my phone that allows me to point it at the sky and identify the stars and constellations […]
Restless Heart. Restless Feet~
I’m restless. I know, I know…I’m just one in a crowd of millions. This pandemic, right? Year 2020. I’d already given myself a year to get off the road full time, even before the ‘rona came visiting. I wanted to focus on filming a documentary about my Odyssey of Love. So I was good with […]
L O V E
Rock me gently, Swaying to and fro. Let me feel your strength around me and The living might of your power Gather me into you So that I am consumed and immersed and suffused Grant me memory of all I had, and tenacity to hold steadfast To what I know to be truth everlasting. Bless […]
Undoing~
The holidays. Sometimes “The Holidays”. Tra la la la la. In the midst of grief, the words loom large. They loom large even when it isn’t about intense grief but just…eh. THE HOLIDAYS. Tra la frickin’ la. I just spent the last month grinching out to my kids about my feelings regarding the holidays. No […]
What I’ve Been~
In my life I’ve been quiet and loud Still and vibrant Strong and vulnerable Smiled and cried I’ve been a Highland dancer A belly dancer And a hoop dancer There was so much joy in me As I danced. Since your death I’ve pushed myself to do what I’d never considered doing… I’ve been […]
My Veteran~
I was born into a military family. My dad was career Army, a West Point graduate. Two of my brothers served in the Navy and the Marines, respectively. A good part of my growing up years were spent on military bases, both in Germany and the States. My dream came true when I spotted Chuck […]
My Heart’s Music~
Do you think I’m going to let you just leave after telling me something like that? These were Chuck’s words as I headed to the door after confessing to him that I’d fallen in Love with him. I’d been attending meetings for adult children of alcoholics and counseling, where I practiced telling myself the truth […]