Writer, Speaker, Editor, Blogger
Sunday, I had the joy of singing in our choir Christmas presentation. This year was different. Jim wasn’t sitting in the men’s section. Unlike last year, when Jim remembered his music was still at home halfway there, I got to the church on time. After the presentation, I hugged my family, who were in attendance, […]
Here we are, two weeks before Christmas, and life’s hardships haven’t slowed down for many. In the past week, these are situations of which I’m aware, two unexpected deaths, a death after a years-long decline, hospitalizations, those who’ve had surgery, those caring for loved ones with cancer, and several people near death. Life marches on, […]
This year, I don’t have much Christmas “spirit.” When you are missing a loved one, all the festivities feel a little flat, as if I am a spectator rather than a participant. Although I expected this to be the case this year, it’s harder than I thought it would be. Following are thoughts on keeping […]
What does Thanksgiving look like for you this year? Is it merely another day of caregiving? Are you wishing you could skip this holiday altogether because of grief? Do you anticipate unpleasantness because of ongoing family squabbles? Will you celebrate the holiday alone? To be honest, I’m struggling a little with the idea of […]
This week, I had the joy of hosting my church life group in my home. As we filled plates, and found seats at the table, I realized we were a few chairs short. One of the men volunteered to bring chairs in from another room. Everyone shifted as we squeezed in the additional chairs. As […]
Last week, November 8, our anniversary, was a happy day for me. I played mental reruns of the joy of our wedding day and laughed as I remembered some of the funny parts of that day 44 years ago. I was proud of myself for not allowing it to be a day of sadness and […]
November arrived with a flurry of memories and waves of nostalgia. Forty-four years ago, November 8, was our wedding day. The day brought with it a herd of internal butterflies and the usual last-minute snafus. The caterer and florist battled for who had priority in the reception venue. One called, expecting me to choose. […]
As my process of cleaning out continues, I’ve moved into harder areas. I thought the garage was bad, but can now confirm that the attic eaves on either side of the bonus room are worse…much worse. Years ago, we had a problem with squirrels invading attic spaces and “partying down.” I’m finding, and having to […]
Have you ever traveled to another country and found everything to be unfamiliar? It’s to be expected, of course, this feeling of unusual. The people, dress, language, food, customs, even everyday items like toilet paper, are all different. When interfacing with the unfamiliar, it feels awkward, perhaps, even scary. We long for that to which […]
Clean up is still in progress in my neighborhood and surrounding areas following “Helene.” The initial fallen trees and branches are now an unsightly brown, stacked high, lining yards and the sides of streets. An interesting section of trunk caught my eye recently. On its side, a circular hole is visible in the core of […]