In March of 2020, life in Antigua, Guatemala (my new hometown) changed dramatically, as it did across the world. We went into a lockdown the likes of which no one had ever seen. Doors around the city were shut and…
Three Simple Steps to Self-Compassion
If you’re feeling more Grinch than Santa, more Scrooge than Elf, then you may need a little extra dose of tender loving care. And guess who is the best person to provide this TLC? YOU are. Self-compassion practices are remarkably…
Making Friends with Death
I recently attended a retreat the sole purpose of which was to meditate upon death. Gulp. Most people don’t really want to be on a first name basis with the grim reaper, if you know what I mean. And yet,…
A 17 Year Blink
She sat across from me, her eyes tearing up. “I am at the end of an era. My youngest child just graduated from high school and my life will never be the same,” she said. This wasn’t an expression of…
Thawing the Frozen Heart
After your heart is broken, what happens? The natural reaction is to shut down, contract, and protect the remaining shards. In fact, for many people, after experiencing the searing pain of loss, their hearts begin to freeze over. Eternal winter.…
When it’s NOT the most wonderful time of the year: strategies for sanity
Look around you. Does everyone else seem joyful, festive, and full of holiday spirit? Everyone, it seems, but you. Perhaps someone important is missing from your life and you’re drowning in deep sorrow. Perhaps you’re absolutely miserable. The truth is…
When Life Dishes Out the Unexpected – and it Always Does
Once upon a time there was a land where the people expected to find love, prosperity, and happiness . . . always. They expected good luck and good fortune and were bitterly disappointed when the unexpected occurred. The problem was…
Life after Death
Saying goodbye last year to my sweet furry friend, Hickory, was heartbreaking. My constant companion of 15 years, he was with me as I raised and launched my children. He followed me as I lived with one husband and then…
Requiem
Requiem . . . Latin for “rest.” It comforts me to imagine a resting place of heavenly peace for all those whom we have loved and lost; a place where they are granted a peace so sublime that there is…
Healthy Grieving
Because loss is a natural part of living, so too is grief a natural process that we need to understand. Most of us will be on that path sooner or later. Knowing some of the elements of healthy grieving sheds…