Becoming a Mermaid

October 5, 2025 Grief is a bugger. Despite all my self-care and the routines, I have built to keep me going, last week I faltered. Meditation, journaling, yoga and prayer are necessary just to get out of the house each morning. At the end of the day, I have a less involved routine, but stillContinue reading “Becoming a Mermaid”

A Change of Season

September 14, 2025 There is a slant to the sunlight, even on an 80-degree mid-September day that tells me it is almost Autumn. The oak trees and hickories I pass on my walks are still fully festooned with dark green leaves, but the angled sunlight gives them a yellowish cast. Here and there I seeContinue reading “A Change of Season”

Time for a Little Restoration

July 14, 2025 As a career educator, I have lived for my summer breaks for over 30 years. Teaching is very demanding of my time and energy by itself and teaching while being a spouse, a parent and a homeowner has meant that I have always juggled many responsibilities. The 8 weeks I get offContinue reading “Time for a Little Restoration”

Isolation vs. Solitude

January 6, 2025 This weekend I attended a meeting in which the chairperson brought the topic of isolation vs. solitude. She opened with some research that she had done, shared her own thoughts and then threw the query out to the group to discuss. People in the group had a lot to share and IContinue reading “Isolation vs. Solitude”

The Value of Retreats

November 10, 2024 This weekend I spent four days and three nights in Sandbridge, Virginia in a grand beach front house where the main agenda was writing in community. The retreat was a lovely balance of group writing sessions, constructive feedback from our instructor, shared meals prepared by an amazing chef and time to writeContinue reading “The Value of Retreats”

The Importance of Community

September 2, 2024 Finding connection with other people is extremely important to me. For over 30 years I have been the member of a 12-step support group for families of alcoholics, and I am sure that it is one of the primary reasons I have been able to continue to function and work since theContinue reading “The Importance of Community”