Writer, Speaker, Editor, Blogger
Last week, I joined my daughter and her family as we said goodbye to a beloved pet. We knew the day was coming. Sadie was 13 and had liver failure. She hung on a long time, doubtless cherishing the love as long as possible. But finally, her decline required the kindness of relieving her suffering. […]
Nine years into their marriage, my parents remained childless. My father was one of nine children, and my mother, the oldest of five, so childlessness was an unfamiliar place. I’d like to believe they were still holding on to hope, but I’m not sure that was the case. It’s hard to honestly congratulate others on […]
Each spring, I am delighted to see green leaves emerge from what look like dead sticks. During winter, those sticks appear as dead wood. Then, seemingly overnight, green emerges, and with that green, a reminder that renewal lurks just beneath the surface. Renewal One definition of “renew” is to resume after a period of interruption. […]
Despite the prediction of a furry Pennsylvania rodent, I believe we are on the cusp of spring. Birds are chattier. Daffodils poke heads from the ground. Brown yards are tinged with shades of green. Mild afternoons hint at warming. I’m ready for the chill and dreariness of winter to take a back seat to greenness […]
I thought I was doing well with grief until January rolled around and sent me into a tailspin. With the new year came a resurgence of grief. After two years, I didn’t expect it, this spiral into missing, wishing, and remembering. All the emotions I felt two years ago resurfaced. Along with sadness came vivid […]
What has this year been for you? Perhaps the year was filled with challenges, heartache, or health issues and you are ready to see 2025 in the rearview mirror. Conversely, maybe this has been the best year of your life, and you are sad to bid it farewell. My year has been a combination of […]
When I was a child, Halloween meant dressing in a costume Mama made for me. I went with her to the cloth store to select the cloth and pattern. One year, she made a colonial dress; another year, a cat costume. I also remember wearing a powder-blue princess dress, crown, and pretty-face plastic mask, that […]
Last weekend, I visited a dear friend in the hospital. Clues indicate transition to heaven is imminent, yet life’s story is still being written, and timing is in God’s hands. Death is a subject no one wants to discuss, yet death is the final stage of life. Preparation Wills, advance directives, and DNR’s are decisions […]
On a rainy day, in a drive-thru line, I accidentally put my car in neutral instead of increasing the wiper speed. When time came to pull forward, I couldn’t understand why my car wouldn’t move, until I saw the glaring “N” on the display panel. There are times in our lives when grief, illness, or […]
I am nearing the year and a half mark of widowhood. You’d think I’d have this grief thing figured out by now, but frequently, I get a jarring reminder that I’m still a toddler in this journey of loss. Nebulous Sadness One day last week, I texted my daughter and said, “I’m weepy today, for […]