Cause and effect. A concept that can have deep philosophical roots or a surface level fundamental basis. When something as tremendous as a spouse passing away happens, we often want to point fingers. Why did this happen? Who made this ...
I haven't ever stopped wearing my wedding rings. Going on eight years out, I still wear them. Yes, there are two of them: my wedding ring plus another that was a family heirloom he had given me for my part ...
Car still packed. Hospital bags collecting dust. The half drank Pepsi bottle still in the fridge. That is just a few of the time stamped areas 10 months into one of the most devastating moments of my life. I am ...
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. ...
I opened the door on the second knock and extended a practiced, firm handshake. My hair was pulled back plainly, clothes were modest, and my face was void of both makeup and smiles. I was ready. “Keith Allen, KO Insulation” ...
When I sat down with the salesman, my eyes landed on a bobblehead Spider-Man sitting next to his computer monitor. I’d spent the last hour cleaning out Alice, crying, making fun of myself for crying while sending videos to my ...
During our 24 years of marriage, I never negotiated with the tradespeople who came to our house – the electricians, plumbers, septic guys, realtors. It was my husband, Jay, who spoke to them. I was polite, smiled, shook hands, signed ...
My father’s favorite canned advice, whenever he found me floundering in my academics (which was often) – was “Why don’t you just be a golfer. Women can make good money that way.” I’d no interest in golfing, nor had I ...
We have a choice when it comes to our own grief. We can deny it, stifle the tears, stuff it down, cover it over, and try to bury it. Or we can cry a river, sob, wail, pound our pillow ...
I missed my last blog post. I couldn’t find any words. I think maybe because I knew the first big day was fast approaching and I wanted to say whatever I could think of for this post. And now it’s ...