We each carry our grief – deal with our grief – in our own way. It’s important to know that there really is no right way for any of us to do this, so please don’t ever let someone tell you how you must do it or that you’re doing it wrong. You may choose […]
Newly Widowed
Reminiscing … amongst the guilt and the quiet
2025 was a hard year. Really hard. Started that year with my own health scare while Jim’s issues began to escalate. So many doctors, scans, xrays, labs for both of us. Things changed drastically for Jim in May and then I got shingles (but I did get good news on my scare, so that was […]
Same heart. New chapter.
On June 30, 2021, I hit “publish” with equal parts excitement and nerves. Today, I’m hitting it one last time — with a full heart. Keeping my promise to write here each Wednesday created a map of my path through grief. Nearly five years of questions, lessons, fears, laughter—feeling lost more times than I […]
I have a list ….
It was another 3:33 wake up morning but this one did not bring me a smile. Instead I was greeted with sneezing, coughing, runny nose, headache – and once up and fully awake – ugh, zero energy and a bit woozy. I think it’s just a cold and it will pass but I had […]
Happy “Fire Horse” New Year!
I went to the movies this afternoon and greeted my friend with, “Happy New Year!” She replied, “And Happy Mardi Gras and Ramadan!” Three big celebrations fall on the same day this year. For some years, in my own life, I look forward to the Chinese New Year each spring after being instructed in […]
A Valentine For You
V Very proud that you keep putting one foot in front of the other since your person left. A And how, when you fall down, you continue to get up and try again. L Love how bravery shows up for you at unexpected times . . . E Especially when you need it most. N […]
It’s in the Numbers
Three is most definitely “my” number … or 33 … or 333. Vern, Jeremy and I were a family of three. Vern, Jeremy and I were each 33 years old when our fathers died. After Vern died, I began waking at 3:33 each morning for months. I don’t know why I started waking at […]
Song Sung Blue
“Me and you are subject to the blues now and then” And oh boy did the ‘now and then’ arrive. And they were triggered by watching the new ‘Song Sung Blue’ movie. Go figure. I love Neil Diamond. And his song ‘Sweet Caroline’ has been “our song” for Vern and I since way back […]
Time Wasted?
My time at the beach has been exactly what I needed, even though it has not been exactly what I had planned. Now I could easily beat myself up for all I have not done while here at the beach. All I thought I needed to do. All I had planned to do: Lots of […]
What’s My Purpose?
I try to use the first month of a new year to take a good look at my life … do some deep diving, reviewing, thinking, planning. What’s working well? What do I need to change? What new things do I want to try? What do I need to leave behind? What mistakes have I […]
I don’t need no stinking goals … or do I?
I’m a 74 year old twice-widowed gal. What’s the point in putting the effort into setting some goals for 2026? I’m just not feeling it at this point. Can I just plug along with this new alone life, randomly doing something fun or meaningful if it presents itself and I’m feeling up to it? Or […]
New Year. New Widow
My team at work kicks off the week with a quick meeting almost every Monday morning. It’s a quick 15-minute call where we cover the highlights of the upcoming week and who has a birthday or anniversary. Last week was our first one of the new year, and we all expected welcome back pleasantries. Instead, […]