So have adventures. Go exploring. Drive around at midnight. Feel the wind running through your hair. Life is so short, my darling. And there’s no day like today. Morgan Matson Hello, Lovelies. There is an important story I want to share with you today. Two people died yesterday. I’d like to tell you about them. […]
You’re Gone And I Still Miss You
“If I had a flower for every time I thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever.” ~ Alfred Tennyson Yesterday was July 4. It’s our niece’s birthday. It was our first dog Charlie’s birthday, Charlie who is now Harry. And it was Kate’s birthday. Kate was such a dear friend. I met her hanging […]
I’m Stepping Away From Work For A Few Days
“It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited, and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like […]
Conversations About Dying – We Need To Have Them!
“When the time comes to die, make sure that all you have to do is die!” ~ Jim Elliot “Everybody will die, but very few people want to be reminded of that fact.” ~ Lemony Snicket This post is the next in my Wednesday series on Death and Dying… Last year a good […]
What Happens When We Die?
“There once was a girl who found herself dead. She peered over the ledge of heaven and saw that back on earth her sister missed her too much, was way too sad, so she crossed some paths that would not have crossed, took some moments in her hand shook them up and spilled them like […]
Supporting Your Loved One at the End Stage of Life
“And then we ease him out of that worn-out body with a kiss, and he’s gone like a whisper, the easiest breath.” ~ Mark Doty Welcome to the second post in my Wednesday series on death and dying. Today I’d like to talk about the end stage of life, and what you might expect […]
Some Early Reflections on Death
“Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there’s a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see.” ~ Helen Keller Hello, friends. Welcome to my Wednesday series on Death and Dying. This week, I’ll kick off the series by discussing some […]
A Short Blog Series on Death and Dying
“I’ve been making a list of the things they don’t teach you at school. They don’t teach you how to love somebody. They don’t teach you how to be famous. They don’t teach you how to be rich or how to be poor. They don’t teach you how to walk away from someone you don’t […]
There Was No Blog Post This Morning Because… Life
“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” ~ Leo Buscaglia I’d had every intention of blogging early this morning, as I usually do. As I’ve missed […]
Sometimes The Best Way to Honour The Dead is to Celebrate
“We’re all ghosts. We all carry, inside us, people who came before us.” ~ Liam Callanan, The Cloud Atlas My beloved Nana would have turned one hundred yesterday. She passed three years ago, and I find myself missing her more as time goes on. We had a very special connection, and I still talk with […]
Saying Goodbye To Julie
“Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, my grandfather said. A child or a book or a painting or a house or a wall built or a pair of shoes made. Or a garden planted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die, and when people […]
Excuse me, are you the Witch?
“Perhaps I am the only person who, asked whether she were a witch or not, could truthfully say, “I do not know. I do know some very strange things have happened to me, or through me. – Lady Alice Rowhedge” ~ Norah Lofts, Bless This House Last year the little girl from down the road at our city house knocked […]
Little Bird
“I am not a teacher, but an awakener.” ~ Robert Frost The next installment of my Kimberley Story… Auntie, the old barefoot Aboriginal Elder in her faded pink dress, had turned up in my dream before she ever turned up in my waking hours. And when we finally met she promised me that she would take […]
Saying Goodbye to Charlie
“Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe, we are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made.” -Roger Caras It’s been too hard for me to write this […]
Will you do something for me today?
Will you do something for me today? Hug the ones you love. Tell them you love them. If they aren’t close enough to hug, pick up the phone and let them know you care. Take a minute, stop, and just appreciate this gift of life. Smell the roses. That’s why they’re there. Look after yourself. […]
Bittersweet cupcake celebrations…
“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” ~ Rumi This should be a post about birthdays and love, and it is all of those things. But it’s also a post about love and loss, and the way grief can affect us. The Fourth of July has long been a special day for […]
Hey Sister, You Okay?
I was looking forward to Saturday. In the last few weeks I’ve supported a friend through the end stages of terminal cancer, holding her hand til she passed, ridden the roller coaster of supporting an addict in recovery, and juggled my daily work and writing. Saturday was this wonderful window of calm in front of […]
The Power of a Father’s Love
“Life is the first gift, love is the second, and understanding the third.” ~ Marge Piercy One night, in the middle of 2010, I was on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean. It was late, and we had been asleep for some hours. The room phone rang, waking us up. When I answered […]
Dare to Love…
Love. It’s what we all want. It’s what we all need. I urge you – dare to love. It’s not hard to do – the act of loving is hard-wired into us. All we need to do is be brave enough to open our hearts… Love is the greatest feeling in the world. Love is intoxicating, […]
What to do when you don’t know where you’re going…
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go. ~ Dr. Seuss Feeling lost is a very normal human emotion. And it is […]