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Three Lessons about Loss from my TEDx Talk

On December 16, 2014 / Bereavement and End of Life, Creativity / 10 Comments

74 “Yes,” I said in May 2014 when I received a red-lettered invitation from TEDx Chemung River I had applied the month before. “Sure, I’ll figure out how to give a TEDx talk. November 8 is five months away. Plenty of time.

Long Distance Love

On December 9, 2014 / Bereavement and End of Life, Family and Friends / 21 Comments

54 “Why?” I moaned. “You’ve been gone over a month. The kids and I miss you. I’m lonely.” “E, I’m sorry,” Vic said from somewhere in Israel where he was doing research. “I’ll only be away a few

A Woman’s Hands

On December 2, 2014 / Bereavement and End of Life, Creativity / 27 Comments

299 These hands aren’t girlish pink and plump, but the palms are smooth and soft. Not ancient hands, but aging hands. No arthritic swellings or broken joints. No aches when typing, chopping, or loading firewood. They are my

Give Thanks for the Teachings of Trees

On November 25, 2014 / Bereavement and End of Life, Nature / 22 Comments

387 November grief has a sharp edge. Six years after my husband Vic’s death, I still struggle with holidays. I know I’m not the only one. Sorrow needs space this time of year. Since hiding makes me sadder,

A Love Note from Beyond

On November 11, 2014 / Bereavement and End of Life, Creativity / 44 Comments

633 I needed to calm down. I needed faith in my stamina for a TEDx talk. My mind felt blurry, on the edge of dizzy. I had practiced the talk with a friend that day and delivered

My Meetup with Little TED: How I prepared for a TEDx Talk

On November 4, 2014 / Creativity, Writing and Social Media / 42 Comments

130 I have a date with TEDx. Nov. 8 at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, NY. Our meetup was arranged by TEDx Chemung River. TED (Technology, Education, and Design) is a global nonprofit committed to the power of shared

A Painting, a Pyramid, and my Longing

On October 28, 2014 / Creativity, Family and Friends, My Land and Home / 23 Comments

171 “I brought you a gift,” my daughter-in-law Liz said the day after the launch party for Leaning into Love. She seemed unusually shy. “Really, Liz? Another gift? You gave me the gift of driving from North Carolina

Nature’s Seasons of Grief and Hope

On October 21, 2014 / Bereavement and End of Life, Creativity, Nature / 20 Comments

59 My husband’s death left me with tears and longing, but Nature soothed me. I walked the trails of my land and felt supported during the hardest transition of my life. Like the first crocus of spring or the last Monarch

A Book Launch, an Engagement, and a Pyramid

On October 7, 2014 / Creativity, Family and Friends, My Land and Home / 24 Comments

92 My family enjoys extravaganzas. It was my husband Vic’s style. If you can’t celebrate in a big way, why bother? I remember my surprise birthday party staged by Vic in 1968. Friends walked down the hill toward our

Searching for Sparks: Camp Widow Toronto

On September 30, 2014 / Bereavement and End of Life / 16 Comments

49 I went to Camp Widow to meet new friends, give and receive comfort, and share peak moments. Our widowed lives can be lonely and empty compared to the lives we had with our partners. No matter how long it’s