This post is dedicated to new readers — those who found their way here from the Bitter Infertiles (podcast Episode 20). If you’re new to this blog, I hope you’ll see it’s quite pleasant here. Contrary to conventional wisdom, flowers grow. Laughter is encouraged. All in all, we strive to make this blog a place…
Tag: loss
Kindness Comes in Many Forms
We all feel helpless when we witness suffering and pain. In the wake of the heartbreaking events I am reminded that one of the best ways to cope with grief and loss, and begin to heal is help another person who is grieving. This time of year, as the nights grow longer, we turn inward and reflect on where we have been and what awaits us in the New Year.
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On Sisterhood, Healing and Dreaming Big
You don’t often witness those who did (or did not) go on to parent after infertility openly discuss — and I mean with real names not aliases — how infertility impacted their lives. We’re at a pivotal time, in particular, within the tribe of women who faced situational or physical childlessness coming forward with books, PhD…
Free To Be You and Me
I’m not sure what possessed me to write it. Was it my cumulative annoyance at People magazine for devoting so much editorial real estate (for instance every week!) to celebrating all aspects of parenthood (hey – how about some equal time, People editors)? Was it the veiled tone of pity, the whiff of judgment, or…
Two Movies, One Gets it Right
Much has been written about The Help — the book and the movie. I made a point of carving out 146 minutes to lose myself in the film after the August 10 opening sparked new debates about character authenticity and raised questions about who is best equipped to tell the complex stories of women living…
A Push for Conformity Means Less Tolerance of Difference
There’s real value in being jolted out of the day-to-day routine. In the past week or more there’s been very little in the way of the familiar — either in ideas or surroundings. The combination of Jon Ronson’s new book, The Psychopath Test, a few days caught up in the vastness of New York City,…
Speaking a Common Language
Spring can bring unique and difficult encounters, as outlined by Lucy, a long-time blog reader from a country in Eastern Europe. I remember the first comment she made, and the instant connection we felt despite the miles and potential language barriers. Some experiences transcend ordinary words or lead to their own language and understanding. Fortunately,…
Guest Post: Never Being Called Mommy
The latest contributor to A Fresh Start is Stephanie. I first came across her writing on More.com. A few emails later she invited me to join her on a radio segment where we both discussed our respective experiences coming to terms with infertility. In this piece, Stephanie shares her story and sheds some light on…