Writer, Speaker, Editor, Blogger
Are you in a life season when everything feels more complicated than usual? I’m there. Supposedly, the pace of life slows in retirement years. I haven’t found it to be so. Here are reflections on a season of dealing with hard stuff: Complicated Business Processes After 50+ years, a landholding corporation my father and uncle […]
For over a year, I’ve been consumed with the task of cleaning out various areas of my house. This house has been home for over 35 years, so you can imagine the accumulation of “things.” After a few intense months, I concluded the project was going to take much longer than expected. In addition to […]
Several weeks ago, I had the joy of spending a week at the beach with my children and grandchildren. I awoke each morning to the sounds of Jay grinding coffee beans, Griffith’s stage whisper, and snippets of singing and laughter. That week with my family was just what I needed to recharge, reset, and resume […]
Any time you have a dramatic life change, if you are willing, you learn from the experience. The death of a loved one presents that opportunity. Following are reflections on what I’ve learned in the last year and two months: Expect Times of Loneliness Recently, I woke up and smelled coffee brewing. Then, I realized […]
Having completed the first year of widowhood, it seems like I should feel lighter and eager for the next step in my journey. Instead, I think I turned a corner and hit a brick wall. The remaining tasks on my to-do list loom, large and insurmountable. I should be brimming with thoughts and plans that […]
Last week, I had several nights of dreams about Jim. As dreams often are, they were jumbled, confusing, and somewhat nonsensical. In part of the dream, Jim was alive, but later not. We were conversing, yet he said he couldn’t hear me when I asked if he could. Waking from those types of dreams leaves […]
A year ago, my 96-year-old aunt “Chinkie” skipped the bonds of earth and entered her heavenly home. She was a huge part of my life and continues to occupy my mind almost daily. Cleaning out her home provided moments of quiet grief, but also periods of joy. I thought I knew a lot about grief, […]
Although we usually associate loss with death, loss comes in many forms. Perhaps your loss is related to a broken relationship, a health situation, a life change, or some other challenge. No matter how loss comes, working through it takes time. Following are some tips to help you successfully navigate loss: Grieve Your Loss Sometimes […]
Last week, we celebrated the life of my 96-year-old aunt. Although we miss her, her death was the natural outcome of a long life well lived. At the visitation, many shared stories of their friendship with her and what she meant to them over the years. Those stories delighted and encouraged me. No one said […]
In the time since my foot surgery, I’ve realized the surgery was the easy part. The healing process is much harder. I have mobility limitations and directives to aid healing, but as is often the case when you suddenly can’t do certain things, all you want is to do those very activities. Healing is not […]