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- Bereavement and End of Life
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Dreaming of a Monarch Book
In a dream: I stand at tall windows overlooking a big city. I’m here to sign a publishing agreement about my butterfly book. Two women and I laugh with delight as we imagine what might be. A man in a business suit joins us carrying a shallow bowl of thick black ink. He carefully places […]
The Gift of Community
Walking toward our favorite Chinese restaurant in Ithaca, NY in the late 1960s, we noticed a huge Buddha statue in a dusty storefront. The sign on the door said “American Brahmin Bookstore.” Someone was unpacking books inside, so with a name like that, we were curious. Soon Vic and I were hanging out at the […]
Saving Baby Blues
Three days ago, there were four. They had new feathers and hungry mouths Now there are two, Plus one sibling lying under the nest, Stiff and dead. I remove the dead baby and see three ants. Was it biting ants or a House Sparrow murder? Hurry, my heart says. Make a plan. The babies cry […]
There’s Joy Here
I read the news, so I know. Children are starving in Gaza and Ukraine. In Ethiopia and Nigeria and the slums of Mexico and on the border of my country. There is no clean water or safety or protection for refuges of any age. The world is cruel and frightening. I live an unusually peaceful […]
Safe and Warm
I wake up to the silence of deafness. It’s 6 am and cool, but there’s warm pressure against my spine. Lying on top of the blankets, Disco stretches her lean body against my back. Almost five years ago, a six week old black short-haired fostered puppy climbed on my lap and fell asleep, I trusted […]
Reaching for a Helping Hand
“No more heroics,” my son Anthony says. His brother David would say the same. “No. More. Heroics.” I hear him. I’ve never been sick like this. I’ve never felt so helpless. Anthony lives three miles from me and drove me to the ER when I couldn’t breathe. Then I spent a few nights at home […]
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Elaine Mansfield
In my twenties, I married, nurtured my growing family, practiced yoga and meditation, and became a vegetarian and organic gardener. In my thirties, I became a nutrition and preventive health care counselor. In my forties, I studied natural approaches to menopause. In my fifties, I transformed my body with strength training and became a Certified Personal Trainer. In my early sixties, I lectured and wrote about strength training, bone health, nutrition, and healthy aging. Now, in my mid sixties, I am dealing with the death of my husband while writing about love, loss, and continuing bonds.
You’ll find old articles, guides, and stories in the sections on Bereavement, Exercise, and Nutrition. You can keep up with the latest stories and announcements on my blog.
Elaine Mansfield’s memoir Leaning into Love: A Spiritual Journey through Grief is now available from Larson Publications.