In three days, it will be three years since my husband died, and I think the grief cycle has finally run its course. Four or five months ago, I consciously thought, “I’m better.” It surprised me, and I wondered how long I had felt the relief without realizing it. It seems now I am living with sweet memories that feel like a blessing instead of a loss. I’ve never been a crier, … [Read more...]
What do YOU hope for 2024?
I wish you a Happy New Year—2023 is ending with good, bad, and likely a few ugly memories. 2024 is on the horizon—a blank canvas for which we can draw, paint, or imagine whatever we want. Isn’t that a lovely thought? What do you think about as the new year approaches? Making and keeping a budget, losing weight, exercising more, cleaning the garage, or taking a trip is the … [Read more...]
Let a good day be the Outcome
I recently helped a friend edit her new book titled, Why I Stay, a collection of stories about why people choose to remain Catholic. A male author shared being diagnosed with a large malignant tumor on his kidney. Recalling his treatment and family trauma, he concluded that he was in a win-win situation. If cancer didn’t kill him, he would get to stay with his family, and if he … [Read more...]
Help others find their spark, a.k.a. hope
A friend, whose husband had been in and out of cancer treatment for several years, called to tell me she met a woman who told her of a successful alternative to chemotherapy. After a brief recap of her conversation, with joyous excitement, my friend said, “My spark is back!” Her spark is what I call hope. Like magic, someone’s words removed “almost” from the doctor’s previous … [Read more...]
Rural women’s strength and resiliency
Rural women’s strength and resiliency What a great week. I had the opportunity to reconnect with women I have not seen in a long while. Enjoy my brief synopsis: Opal finally had the courage to leave her husband of twenty years and to build her life without the man who chose to have multiple women. She spoke of the pain and the damage to her self-esteem. She was naturally … [Read more...]