Posts Tagged: grief

Buh Bye 2017!

December 31st, 2017
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2017 Buh Bye

Today, the last day of 2017, tends to be a day when most of us mentally review events that happened to us during the past year and I’ve concluded, that for me, 2017 was a year of feeling it all.

2017 took me on a most bumpy and unexpected ride and I must say I am happy to say Buh Bye to one rollercoaster of a year.

From the beginning of January to the end of December, 2017 was 12 months of experiencing pretty much every emotion that there is to feel as a human being.  This unpredictability of course … Read More

Last Minute Gifts of Comfort & Joy

December 22nd, 2017
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It’s the Friday before Christmas and it’s a good bet that you may have finished buying gifts for everyone on your list. But there’s still time to think about buying one more gift. This year you may want to put a special twist on your usual gift giving by buying a present for a loved one or friend who has died. On the face of it, the idea may sound a little strange not really. I saw this wonderful idea recently tweeted by Grief Compass in a series called the 12 Holidays of Grief and thought I would share it… Read More

What Inspires You?

December 12th, 2017
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  People from all walks of life inspire me. From the guy who delivers my mail to a person in public life who is willing to step up and speak out for a just cause. It isn’t always what they do but how they live their lives. These inspiring people are willing to take a risk, to roll the dice. They let the chips fall where they may. Because they know that we only get one shot at this big beautiful thing called life and they put themselves out there in a unique way. Even when they are afraid. Even… Read More

Reducing Holiday Stress-O-Rama

December 8th, 2017
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If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I recently posted some thoughts about December and it’s ups and downs. More than any time of the year, expectations run high and emotional triggers seem to be lie in wait all around us.  There’s shopping and decorating and socializing and it’s all supposed to go according to schedule and be everything that you want it to be. You know.  Like the holidays in the magazines and on television. Except that in real life that doesn’t happen. And it’s okay.  In fact, it’s more than okay. It’s just what life is.… Read More

Having A Thankful Heart

November 20th, 2017
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As we slide into this holiday week of Thanksgiving, my thoughts turn to the simple idea of setting aside a day to show gratitude. Yes life is crazy, messy and unpredictable. Yes the holiday season can be painful and a stinging reminder of a terrible loss or a difficult family situation. But you can sit yourself down and listen to your heart and acknowledge your limits.  Be aware of what you need before you join family and friends for any holiday event.  Express your thoughts and feelings to a trusted person.  Change up your expectations and instead focus on one… Read More

September 11, 2017

September 11th, 2017
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National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City “The tears of the world are a constant quantity. For each one who begins to weep somewhere else another stops. The same is true of the laugh.” ~ Samuel Beckett, Waiting For Godot All of us carry images in our minds that will stay with us for the rest of our lives. I think it is safe to say that some of the images we will never forget include the events of September 11, 2001. While this horrific event and the thousands of lives lost during that tragic day happened… Read More

Healing Is Not Linear

August 30th, 2017
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One of the most excellent things about reading is when you discover a fictional character in a book who expresses something you have been feeling but haven’t been able to describe. This happened to me the other night while I was reading the Pulitzer Prize winning book, Olive Kitteridge by the beautiful writer and author Elizabeth Strout. In the book, I am introduced to Angie O’Meara, a middle-aged woman who plays piano in a cocktail lounge in Maine.  She has had a few drinks while playing Christmas carols during her shift and out of the corner of her eye she… Read More

Last Words & Conversations

August 1st, 2017
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Princess Diana with her sons, Prince Harry and Prince William, in London in 1995.  Photo courtesy of AFP/Getty Images Princess Diana and her extraordinary sons are back in the news given that August 2017 marks the 20th anniversary of her tragic death in a car crash while visiting Paris. Perhaps you have been reading the numerous news articles marking this significant event or you watched the HBO special where Diana’s sons, William and Harry, lovingly shared family pictures and tenderly spoke of their mother’s dedication to numerous charitable causes. While it has been 20 years since Diana died, I think… Read More

The Pause Button

July 2nd, 2017
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One recent weekend, I stood at the kitchen sink washing a few dishes, listening to the quiet of the early morning as another day slowly revealed itself.  A few birds chirped to each other and occasionally a parent and child would stroll by walking their dog. The window over the sink was open and I felt the summer air gently lift my hair and float over my face and arms as the warm water and liquid soap spilled over my hands.  The tree limbs were gently swaying, pushing the leaves into each other and then bringing them back again. The… Read More