Sadness Moves Us Toward What is To Be Gained
I sat as calmly as I could recently while Esther, an acupuncturist, held my wrists palms up and felt my pulse. My lungs, I shared, had been tested by unrelenting, cumulative wildfire smoke. This precipitated an extended asthma attack and related tightness. “How do you feel?” Esther asked. “Hmmm, asthmatic and a bit stressed,” I […]
Life Under Unusual Circumstances
Life taxes us in ways large and small. This maxim is the one constant beyond the sun that greets us each morning. Value Each Breath Those well-acquainted with me know asthma remains my wily and unpredictable companion. Dog and cat dander floating in the air, pollen storms and smoke are just some of the pernicious […]
‘The Mother of All Dilemmas’ Explores Cultural Conditioning and ‘Choices’
Dilemmas, by their very definition, don’t offer easy or tidy resolutions. Now, toss in some deeply ingrained stereotypes, social and economic pressures, and reproductive siren songs and reckonings. Top it off with a healthy amount of identity sorting. What have you got? A hardy dilemma salad of sorts with some intense and, at times, biting […]
I’ve Looked At Clouds from Both Sides Now
Clouds carry the power of emotions like few things in nature. They all but cry out for attention and hold our gaze with their expressiveness and shifting forms and colors. How can we not look at these dynamic skyscapes? Now, I’ve never been a deeply spiritual person in the classic religious sense, but I’ve always stood […]
A Sad Daughter Confronts the End of the Long Goodbye
A daughter knows when her parents need her. Each Sunday during this endless pandemic, my 80-something parents waited for our weekly call or Facetime visit. It didn’t take long for me to see my father’s long, slow dance with dementia was taking a significant toll. An abrupt and distressing phone call was not the way […]
Why Don’t Words Exist For Women Like Us?
Words and their origins have always fascinated me. Hardly a day goes by when I don’t search for a synonym or meaning. I’m equally intrigued by those such as my friends and fellow bloggers, Klara and and Elaine, who speak multiple languages with an ease that makes me marvel. Then there’s Lara, who did the translations and questions for of […]
Relief and Reflection Deliver New Insights
Relief is the feeling that floods your body when you know there’s a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve felt relief many times throughout my life. Relief in knowing my 4th grade teacher, Mrs. Cote, still liked me after she scolded me for not being compassionate enough toward another student. Relief […]
Resentment Is Truly Hardwired, But Release Is Possible
Resentment, I’m sad to say, best describes my state of mind these days. This is not something I admit easily. Nor do I care for how resentment feels, so join me as I attempt some junior varsity psychoanalysis. Where to begin? You know how it feels on days when you’re just on edge, hair triggered […]
Loss and Life Beyond Failed Fertility
Loss lives on in ways large and small following an infertility diagnosis and failed IVF. This truth permeates the world of IVF survivors. That’s just one of many topics explored in a new Life Beyond Failed Fertility podcast with yours truly now available on iTunes and on Spotify, Podomatic, and Amazon. Loss Reflections When the podcast […]
Forever Changed … Again
Change comes slowly and then all at once. I honestly thought I would be better at coping with change and the pandemic bunker mentality by now. But after a year, I still feel compelled to dig into my reserves to get through most days. I know I’m not alone (feel y’all) in my exhaustion and […]