practice
On Whose Behalf?
Driving into the park this morning, there was a raccoon lying by the side of the dirt road that winds its way to the trailhead. I noted its presence there, assuming, of course, that it was dead. I imagined what it might be like to stop on my way out after our walk and find…
Read MoreIn Search of Equilibrium
What happens to our relationship with normal when we search for equilibrium instead?
Read MoreThe Gift of Gratitude
“Wonderful work, dear lady!” the email from a past client’s family read. “Words cannot describe how grateful we are for the support you have given our family. Never doubt the importance of what you do. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” ***** In my files at home, I keep a folder called “READ THIS”, that I fill…
Read MoreA Deathbed Playlist
The other day, I was driving to a friend’s house when a song I have long loved came on the radio, She Used to Be Mine, by Sara Bareilles. There are days when the song moves me to tears on its own, but as I drove, my friend Laura, who died on New Year’s Day, came…
Read MoreGive the Gift of “I Love You”
This holiday season, I find myself reflecting on the ways we can do end of life better. After a doozy of an autumn that brought mortality to my doorstep, several times, both personally and professionally, I am reminded that even when we know death is imminent, we never have as much time as we think…
Read MoreGrief and Gratitude
In this time of Thanksgiving, I’m attempting to answer the question, “Can I be grateful for my grief?” in the wake of my beloved grandma’s recent death. She was more of a mother to me than a grandmother. She was nearly ninety-four and had lived what everyone calls “a good long life”. Yes, that’s true.…
Read MoreReminders of Impermanence
“I’m in an ambulance on my way to the hospital,” my husband told me as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. “Wait. You’re what?” was all I could think of to say. It was almost 2:00am as I lay in a single bed in the guest room at my dad’s house in Florida,…
Read MoreA Space for Grace to Enter
As originally published for The Convenings on 6/16/18 The stillness of a recent early summer morning found me in the garden. As I tended and planted and otherwise lost myself in creation, I heard rustling behind me and turned to find my dog Ritter belly up, rolling around in my iris garden. “No!” I…
Read MorePracticing for Death
It’s been 10 days since I arrived in Germany to companion my friend as she receives treatment for metastatic breast cancer. Originally, we were to fly her home to Florida this Sunday — three days from now. As it is, the doctor requested that she stay for another round of hyperthermia and chemo before she…
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