My Awareness Calendar reminds me that April, among other things, contains the Awareness Observances of Adopt a Greyhound Month, Global Volunteer Month, Library Snapshot Month, National Pet Month, and Couple Appreciation Month. This is just a few from a field of 100 plus observances currently on record! But for the purposes of this column, I […]
Widowed Memories
A long ago sunrise…
I happened to be looking for some old files of work that Mario had done for a client years ago. So I hooked up the old external drive that used to be attached to his computer. I’m sure it’s a little different for everyone, but going through your departed spouses computer files can definitely be […]
Day in Review
On the 4th Year of Re-membering A Day in Review Writing this post is the last ritual of a day of re-membering the life of Dan Neff. Beloved husband, papa, and grandfather. Greatly missed by many. A good man. After an online workshop in the morning, I went to the cemetery to find our […]
Things Left Behind
People leave behind an energy. People leave behind ideas. People leave behind accomplishments. People leave behind material things. And people leave behind emotions in others. In the case where someone is highly creative, they also leave behind works of their creativity. In all these ways, death is not final. Throughout history, humans have expressed themselves […]
Fear and Uncertainty
Fear and uncertainty. With countries worldwide trading angry threats, I suddenly feel fearful and uncertain about my future well-being. I struggle to stay focused and calm. Meanwhile, the roiling financial markets and dire warnings of experts and pundits do little to restore my confidence and well-being regarding the future. Recent events have felt like a […]
Sixteen increments of 90 days
= A Very Long Time In just 13 days we arrive at the fourth anniversary of Dan’s death. Recently, I realized that there have been sixteen “90 day increments” since saying goodbye to my beloved. To honor this realization, I reposted my July 14th blog which I wrote exactly 90 days after his death. My […]
8 Ways My Perimenopause Journey Reminds Me of My Grief Journey
Experiencing the Sacred Journey of Perimenopause is reminding me of when I began the Sacred Journey of Grief… 1) The FATIGUE… I’m a runner, used to do several half marathons a year. Since I began the Perimenopause, I suddenly get sooo tired – mentally and emotionally, as well as physically. In the middle of a […]
The Wine Glass
Yesterday I had a rather miserable day. It was one of those days that if ONE thing would have been different, it actually would have been really great. I had planned to take a day off and go up to the mountains for an afternoon of snowboarding after seeing there might be some sun in […]
Two Old Shoes
I met Eric in early Fall during our senior year of high school, shortly after my folks uprooted me from the heart of the City where I had spent my entire life to that point for the greener pastures of Suburbia. This sudden upheaval disoriented me. Virtually overnight, I was displaced, alone and friendless, living […]
Becoming a Better Partner… to My Home
Yesterday was the 13th anniversary of Lynn and I buying our super sweet, super small, 1950’s “Wonder Years” home. It is in the same neighborhood I grew up in, and a few blocks from my parent’s home, and my elementary and high schools. We bought our home […]
Mourning a Forest
In 2020, my late husband Rich and I purchased a lovely home in a gated community in Southeast Georgia in the quaint and historic city of St. Marys. We weren’t seeking the gated HOA lifestyle, in fact Rich disliked the idea, but we’d found a home with amenities that we’d never be able afford in […]
The flame that burns twice as bright…
I think about this from time to time. “The flame that burns Twice as bright burns half as long.” ― Lao Tzu, Te-Tao Ching In a number of ways, Mario’s flame really did burn twice as bright, and he certainly fulfilled the half as long part by only making it to age 47. One of […]