Let’s face it. Asking the tough questions — whether about ourselves, others, or events in our lives — is hard. 2012 proved to be the year that I began asking them. It was the year my mom died 30 days after being diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. Just 30 days! Questions flooded my mind […]
This seems like such an obvious statement, right? When you’re alone, you may begin to experience feelings of loneliness. It makes perfect sense. Grieving alone can feel … well, lonely. First, let me acknowledge that this isn’t the case for every person who grieves. And of course, experiencing seasons of alone-ness as we grieve is […]
“Why don’t you just stop?” This was the hard question my ex-therapist asked me as I sat across the room from her with tears welling up in my eyes. “How rude!” I thought, especially since I was a relatively new griever, just one year shy of my mom’s death anniversary. I’d entered the therapy session, […]
Yes, I said it! STOP relying on your partner … to meet all your needs as you grieve. Before you stop reading, please let me share a quick story. After my dad died last year, my sweet partner, David, put his work to the side in order to fly to Texas and spend two uninterrupted […]
My question for you and myself at the beginning of this year is: “Where does your loyalty reside? I’m pretty sure we’ve all breathed a sigh of relief on some level after surviving 2020. Whew, what a whirlwind in so many ways! I found myself juggling several balls last year in my career, home life, […]
Have you ever thought about what it means to experience unforced rhythms of living? This was a question I asked myself years ago as I listened to a pastor preach on the topic of grace. He shared that many people don’t experience the full grace of God, in part, because they are focused more on […]
Here we are, yet again, experiencing life in the election dash. It’s the middle of the day in my neck of the woods. And while I dictate this blog post, there are many who are wrestling with feelings of uncertainty, preemptive disappointment, and overwhelm associated with the U. S. presidential election. Last night, I did […]
What do you do when the world is temporarily closed? It’s a question we’ve all asked ourselves this year against the backdrop of a global pandemic. 2020 has brought with it a lot of doubt. Confusion. Uncertainty. But most of all, it’s ushered in a laundry list of questions. Like … what is the meaning […]
‘Showing up for yourself’ … It’s a contemporary catch-phrase we see plastered across social media platforms these days. But what does it actually mean? I’ll answer this question by sharing a story. The year was 2012 and for all intents and purposes, my life was fabulous. I lived in Southern California, enjoyed a fruitful career […]
One question I’ve asked myself often this year is: “Mekel, are you loving well in the midst of stress?” And quite frankly, depending on the day, the answer might be a resounding ‘no.’ Love is patient. Love is kind. It is not easily angry and keeps no record of past mistakes. You may be familiar […]
