Today marks 10 years since my sister Karlette took her last breath. As I showered this morning, at about the same time I got the call, I told myself grief would not win today. I enjoyed a beautiful church service, had dinner with my guys at one of my aunts’ homes, and took a moment … Continue reading Redbuds and Enduring Grief
Some time ago I shared a short sunflower poem written by rupi kaur on the blog. I think of this poem often—whenever I think of my sisters, my friend Julie’s oldest daughter (who was also my student), my pen friend Eileen V’s daughter, and others who passed far too soon. As I was noting the … Continue reading Sunny Blossoms | Sunflowers at Her Grave
Agape Review published two of my poems last week (yay!), so I’m dropping in to share them with a just little background on both. Unlike the Musings from My Younger Self I share far too infrequently, these poems were written in my adult years. I wrote “Word Made Flesh” in 2017 after an exchange with a … Continue reading Two Poems for Your Monday
I have been tickled pink this week! Earlier this week, I went to the [indoor] mall for the first time in a long, long time. I had hoped to get caught up in the madness of last-minute Christmas shopping, but there was no frenzy. In fact, the line for photos with Santa was the shortest … Continue reading #ThursdayTreeLove | Tickled Pink
Hello, my bloggy friends! I hope you didn’t miss me too much during my break. While I was on “blog vacation,” I realized I didn’t need a break from my blog at all. I needed a break from some other things in life. In fact, work has been all-consuming. A few days ago, I was … Continue reading 100 Things That Bring Me Joy
Two years ago today I lost my older sister Lori to breast cancer that had metastasized to her brain. I think about her and my younger sister Karlette every single day. Some days are harder than others. The hardest part [besides losing them] has been accepting that nothing could have been done to keep them … Continue reading Grief, Impatiens, and a Mother’s Love
I experienced a “letdown” a couple of days ago. It wasn’t exactly unexpected, but it crushed me. In trying to sort things out and figure out the reason for the deep ache, I arrived at grief. It becomes entangled with everything: the loss of my sisters mingles with other [unrelated] losses; the wound reopens, the … Continue reading Step by Step
Pink is not just a color. It’s an attitude. Here we are at the end of October and I haven’t even checked off half the blog posts I’d plan to write this month. But I cannot let the month end without acknowledging Breast Cancer Awareness Month and reminding readers to mind their breast health. Though … Continue reading Pink Is More Than a Color
I mentioned in my last post that my favorite uncle passed away last week. Some time ago, one of my paternal aunts–my Uncle Joe’s wife–told me the story of when and where my bond with my uncle initiated: I was not quite two. The family had gathered and there was a heaviness in the house … Continue reading The Gift of Rescue
Today marks one year since my sister Lori’s passing, so I punched purple tulips in her honor. Today, my sorrow over [both] my sisters is tangled up with grief over the loss of my favorite uncle, who ministered so ably and lovingly when we lost Karlette and Lori. He passed away two days ago. For … Continue reading Today…
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