Loss & Grief
Parenting Mom and Dad in the Sunset Years
Last Sunday I did my mom’s grocery shopping. We usually run her errands on Fridays but I was gone and had not seen her in a few days. I went to Safeway and then asked if she wanted me to grab her lunch too. We decided on sandwiches and she asked if I planned to...
We Show Up
Last weekend I drove two hours to attend the funeral of a dear friend's father-in-law. It was a no-brainer whether I would go or not. It was a chance to support her and her family, so it was without question. As I was walking up to the church, her sister saw me and...
It’s Okay To Get Lost
Last week I ran to the mall to return something at Lululemon. It was supposed to be a quick trip—make the return and leave. Because I had no intention of perusing the mall, I parked in a different spot than I usually do because it was closest to Lululemon. I stayed...
As Our Kids Get Older, We Get a New Always
My daughter decided at the last minute to come home for the weekend. She had only been back one night since January so she needed the respite that only home can provide. We loved on her, and she loved right back. We made her favorite cinnamon rolls, had lunch with...
The Journey of Grief
I couldn’t sleep the other night. I tossed and turned all night, unsure why I felt so uneasy and unsettled. Something was off and I couldn’t put my finger on it until I looked at my photo archives and it validated what I wondered. One year ago was the last day I...
Choosing The Good Stuff is Not Always The Easy Choice
The text came on Sunday afternoon from my daughter who’s home from college. She knew I was off work the next day and needed what she calls the “basics”— solid colored shirts, t-shirts, and jeans. She asked to go shopping together, about two hours away from where we...
No Goodbye Is An Easy Goodbye
They prepare you for the first goodbye. You know what to expect and you feel armed with tools to get you through. Lunches with friends, traveling, remodeling a room or two, finding new interests. It helps salve the parent-heart that suddenly feels so lost and...
A Business Trip To Remember
It’s a business trip I told my husband. I was leaving for the beach but not to go relax or rejuvenate. I had a job to do. In July, my mom asked me to chaperone her to her 60th high school class reunion. She’s a proud member of the Class of 1962, Laguna Beach High...
He Called Her “My Person”
This week I helped a grown man process the death of his mom. She died when he was 12 years old and he now has a full beard and a chiseled jawline. He is not the same little boy... but his heart is the same little heart. For so many years he had held his sadness and...
Goodbye, Sweet Boy
Two nights ago, I received a message no one wants to get. My precious cousin took his life. He was 45 years young. It was a gut-wrenching moment. Heartbroken. Tears. Sadness. Statistics show that around 800,000 people die by suicide every year, and it’s the...
