I saw this meme recently, and I know they were trying to be funny, but it still hit me right in the feels—and not in a good way. The meme said, “My cousins were one of the reasons my childhood was so awesome, and I feel sorry for people who didn’t have that.” Okay, let’s... Continue Reading →
Pandemic: An Unexpected Distraction From Grief
It’s interesting how a pandemic has the ability to distract one from grief. I don’t think it would have had the same affect had the pandemic occurred within the first two years, when my grief was, not necessarily more poignant, but certainly more in the forefront. It often felt as if it were controlling my... Continue Reading →
Distracted… Until Today
I’ve been distracted, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Wait, I should explain, considering the distraction is this horrible virus that has altered our world in a way that was inconceivable four months ago. The deaths, the panic, the ridiculous hoarding of toilet paper, the sheer volume of information we are being pummeled with... Continue Reading →
An Open Letter to my Son on his Birthday
Dear Brady, Happy birthday up there in heaven. Seventeen today. To be honest, I can’t even imagine what it would be like to celebrate your birthday anymore (in the normal way, not the obligatory-visit-to-the-gravesite way). For your last birthday before your death, we went out to dinner with the extended family, and then we headed... Continue Reading →
I Hate You, March
Hi March, how are you? Okay, honestly, I don’t care, because I hate you. Yeah, yeah, I know you bring good tidings, theoretically. There’s March Madness for everyone who loves basketball or betting or cheering for the underdog. And of course, for those of us in northern climates, it’s supposed to herald the coming of... Continue Reading →