‘Christmas, Christmas time is near … time for joy and time for cheer …’ always rings in my ear this time of year. Growing up, I loved Alvin and the Chipmunks, and this was one of my favorite songs. To be honest, it still tickles me to hear Dave scream, “Alvin!!!!” throughout the song. If you’ve […]
What do you do when grief holds hands with joy? It’s a question I’ve wrestled with this week, related to Thanksgiving festivities. Let me explain. My brothers, boyfriend, and I decided to spend the holiday with my maternal aunts and friends, each of whom we deeply adore. The problem, however, is that the location of […]
(FYI, this post is also featured as a guest blog on Laurel Box’s website: https://www.laurelbox.com/blogs/news/navigating-grief-loss-holiday-cheer) Are you navigating grief, loss, and holiday cheer this season? With the falling of the leaves and crisper air in most parts comes an awareness of the upcoming holiday season. In the midst of transitioning décor for fall, I’ve already […]
Have you ever wondered if you’re failing at grieving? While this may sound like a silly question, it’s fairly common for grieving hearts to consider it throughout the grief process. Let me explain … In one fell swoop, grief knocks you off your feet. As a result, you come crashing down, attempting to regain your […]
Have you ever felt, in the midst of life’s challenges, that hope is a mirage? You know … the more you look out into the distance, the foggier and more blurry the scene becomes? Yeah, me too. For many, the pandemic has created a bit of a standstill on multiple levels. I find myself etched […]
We often ask what we can do as we wait in life, but have you ever thought about what we can be in the waiting instead? A couple of weeks ago, I met up with a girlfriend for lunch at a local eatery. It was a rainy and cold day, so I was quite content […]
What does it mean to embrace slower rhythms, especially when we live in a world that reinforces busy-ness? First things first … let me be clear. I am a DO-ER. While I’d love to say I feel zen and relaxed throughout most of life’s ebbs and flows, unfortunately, it’s simply not true. I like the […]
The year, 2013. Just two months after awakening to discover my mom’s lifeless body next to me and my brother, I stood before a class of academically hungry doctoral students. My role, Associate Professor. Each breath I took seemed insurmountable and forced in that moment. The problem? I was leading while grieving. Before I share […]
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 […]
What does it mean to ‘show up for yourself’ as you grieve? It’s a common catch phrase we read on social media and hear on TV these days. And it’s a phrase, in my opinion, that can evoke frustration and overwhelm as we consider the need to show up for one more doggone thing. Let’s […]
