They call themselves the Tuesday Tinkerbells, my mom’s Tuesday-afternoon card group. The women are all at least semi-retired and consider their weekly game therapy. They are wise and not wrong. In the summer of 2019, my mom asked if my…
It is early spring here on Cape Cod and the signs of the season are all around. The daffodils are lifting their faces towards the sun and the forsythia bushes are bursting into bloom. Despite the warmer days and the…
I was in a cheerful mood as I walked into the card store that bright April morning. My sister Rosemary’s twenty-second birthday was the next day and I wanted to give her the perfect greeting. One beckoned from among the…
Our perception of life is often based on time, divided into past, present, and future moments, measured in hours, days, months, and years. On December 20th, 2011, all-time measurements stopped for me, freezing me at that very moment. My beautiful…
An excerpt from the book, Natalia’s Endless Love…A Love to Live For: The winds forever blow. Sometimes they catch us off guard, and other times serve as a gentle reminder. For there are forces that exist, far greater than our…
Grief is defined as the emotional response that follows loss. While grief is intensely emotional, it is also physical, psychological, and spiritual. Most bereaved parents, siblings, and grandparents experience these multi-faceted aspects of grief. Many bereaved people also feel a…
During times of grief, African Americans often draw upon a rich tapestry of support systems, including religious and spiritual faith, family, friends, and community networks. This communal approach can provide solace and strength, yet the stages of grief experienced by…
Firefighting is inherently dangerous, and it remains, primarily, a man’s work. Yes, women are increasingly joining the US Fire Service, but to this day the profession of firefighting is represented by an overwhelmingly male demographic. I am a man and…
From the time I was old enough to play “house,” I knew I wanted to be a mom. However, time passed, and it seemed it wasn’t meant to be. I was almost 40 when the love of my life walked…
It is generally acknowledged that the loss of a child is one of the most, if not the most difficult and devastating losses that one can experience. The loss of a child defies the laws of nature. Despite the child’s…
