The other day during a Zoom meeting, a colleague noted that most people stop reading at the third paragraph of articles and blog posts. I think about that as we adjust to a new year. I find myself reimagining ways to improve my writing approach and practice to increase focus and clarity. With so much […]
Multiple Losses
Loss is Lifelong
Sometimes loss may be a positive thing. If you’re an athlete, for example, and your team loses, you learn from any mistakes, regroup, practice harder and come back better. Sometimes loss can be a proverbial bullet dodged. I’ve lost the bid on projects before to find out later that the client would have been a […]
My Spirit Team Six
I hope you all got through the Christmas holiday alright. I know this time of year can be especially difficult for many, whether your loss occured last week, or several years ago. The shadow of that loss can dim even the brightest of holiday lights. On Christmas Eve morning, I spent some time on the […]
A Year at Crescent Haven
In processing grief, I often hear people use the term, “Moving On”. But, most who are recovering from the trauma of losing a loved one prefer “Moving Forward”. Some might ask, “What’s the difference?” If you Move On, the implication is that we’ve left something behind; forgetting, or letting go of, some place, or somebody, […]
Finding Family
Reunions of any kind can stir up all kinds of thoughts and feelings – happiness, nostalgia, a desire to connect, and inevitably sadness due to the fact that reunions can remind us of those who are no longer here with us. My parents met in New Jersey – my mom a coal miner’s daughter […]
Camp Widow Confidential
Happy Saturday. As I wasn’t able to attend Camp Widow in San Diego this year, I asked Margie Perez, a four-time Camp Widow ambassador to share her experience there. I met Margie on my first day at Camp Widow San Diego last year. I liked her positive and outgoing approach and her sense of humor. […]
A Tough Week
Trigger warnings: car accident, physical trauma, death, hospital scenes. Sunday afternoon a Sheriff knocked on my door. My 86 year old dad crashed his truck. He veered off the road at high speed and slammed into a culvert. He was taken to the local hospital by ambulance, but from the get go, it was clear […]
Recalling Birthdays Past
This weekend marks the birthday of my sister who would haved turned 64 tomorrow. Growing up, I envied her summer birthday celebrations. I got blizzards and weather-related postponed parties and she got beaches and pool parties. We were very different, yet very close. I still can’t believe she is seven years gone. I know she […]
“Ruff” and Random Thoughts
Last week I wrote about the one year anniversary of the passing of my dad on April 29. Then I realized there was another milestone of sorts. April 28th marked the two and a half year point of my Widowhood. I guess it’s good that I wasn’t so fixated on this milestone, but it made […]
An Eye Opener:
Worldwide Widowed Communities What took me to stories about widowed folk around the world? Just returned from a mini-vacay where I had no responsibilities other than showing up for the fun. Arriving home to my regular routine, settling into the normal challenges of my post-Dan-life, I found myself wondering about the lives of […]
Recalling My Dad
Monday, April 29, marks the one year passing of my father. At times it seems like it was just last week that he passed in his Assisted Living Facility in Georgia. I’d been an advocate for my father since he’d moved south from New Jersey to live with my late husband, Rich and I, in […]
A Tribute to My Mom
On Wednesday of this past week I received word that my mother, Cindy, had passed peacefully at my brother’s home in New York State. I was at the airport in Charlotte at the time, waiting for my connecting flight to Albany when I learned of her passing. It made me feel better that she was aware […]