I’m not going to lie to you, friends. As fun as Szaba’s 2-year birthday was, it was also … hard. At year 1, we didn’t have Sue. At year 2, we didn’t have Shirley. Perhaps unwisely, I hadn’t accounted for an appearance by Grief, my uninvited guest. I guess I was so deep in planning … More Grief: My Uninvited Guest
Oh, to write again! Today I’ll be pouring words onto the page and trying to organize them in some meaningful sense for me and for you. In the meantime, I wrote this (rather eerie now) piece last week, before the shock of Shirley’s death, and I feel I must share it now. The holiday apparently … More Meaning of Dreams
Thanks to my poetry post on Friday, I found the following poem in my inbox this morning. My favorite line: “We see your raised face/at both sides of a day.”
Never underestimate the importance of a good friend. Thanksgiving 2010, I got the call that Ryan and I had to fly back to Minnesota. Immediately. I was taking care of my 3 month old, unpacking from our Thanksgiving trip two days earlier, and putting up the Christmas tree. Ryan was still at work, returning home … More The Essential Friend
This weekend last year we were partying. Ryan and I were visiting Mankato for the first time with Szaba, and Sue had us booked: Day 1: Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres with Sue’s dearest friends Day 2: A grand holiday family dinner Day 3: Coffee hour at home with her company friends Given that Sue couldn’t … More The Special Ornament
I remember hearing “the holidays are hard.” I had no idea how hard, especially when the holidays are a pivot point in losing someone. The saying goes: When it rains, it pours. Well, with the drizzled onslaught of fall at my doorstep—and all the memories that come flooding back with it—I have a new appreciation … More When It Rains, It Pours
My Castle Heart Publications 