Photo Credit: Sonney Wolfe A reckoning with the expectations of grief – six years in At the end of each teaching semester, I’ve started asking students to answer one question. If you ask me, it’s the most important question they ...
Photo Credit: Elizabeth WolfeIgnore the Rumor Mill Ignore the Rumor Mill When I sold my Maryland house and moved to Alabama, opinions and judgements landed on my doorstep within days. I expected less “shake my head” mentalities. I expected people ...
I was on the East Plateau Trail following an established path in complete trust — Complete trust, you ask? Thank you for dialing in on that particular adjective, and the answer is 100% yes. Complete trust – The Green Mountain ...
Your birthday was 3 days ago. You’d be 42 years old now. Instead, you’re forever 40. September is National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. I know I talked about it last year. But I am reiterating my point because I ...
Riley, Lizzy, Ashley, Sonney, and JD on a camping trip at Sue-meg State Park. Photo Credit: Penelope Ray, 2008 It was 2008 when we found them. JD and I were particularly broke that year after losing our home in the ...
No one asks to be part of the reason that there is a day dedicated to grief awareness, especially widowhood. You won’t see “Black Friday”-like lines ensuing chaos to be the first ones to claim the deal of “widow riddled ...
Five years ago, my daughter was still in diapers when her dad died.Today, she put on her backpack, kissed me goodbye, and walked into kindergarten. Five years ago, my son was ten and barely tall enough to ride the big ...
I woke up this morning to the sound of my grandchildren whispering, their bare feet padding across wood floors, stopping just short of the bedroom I was in. I’ve landed at Ashley and Micah’s house, my oldest daughter and son-in-law. ...
Curt died unexpectedly. I was the one assigned to give Sheryl the news soon after. I did what their pastor and neighbors asked me to do. They thought it best if the news came from me. So, I took ...
Today is our 4th wedding anniversary. I should be waking up today to your snores. I should be reaching over and kissing you on the cheek like I did when you were sleeping and you had no idea. I should ...