My 17 year old daughter, Elizabeth, has begun the college application process (yikes!).  Her first assignment from her guidance counselor was to fill out an extremely extensive life review questionnaire.  The question that really caught my eye asked, “What is the most significant event in your life to date and how has it affected your development?” (more…)

“I’ll have chocolate milk,” Channing said sheepishly.  He gave a nervous cough, as if embarrassed for ordering a ‘baby’ drink.  My 15 year old son, now taller and smarter than I am (well, ok, so he’s been smarter for awhile) was embarrassed to order his special treat beverage at this ‘seasonal meal with mom’ (SMM). (more…)

I remember once, many years ago, a middle-aged woman who came up to me after I gave a talk on grief at a local church.  I had been describing how painful it can be to lose someone you love, how disorienting and crushing — after the talk, she said, “Everything you just described is how I feel about my daughter growing from a sweet little girl into a teenager.  She’s still alive but I feel a loss.  My sweet girl is gone.”  At the time, I knew what she meant intellectually though I had not experienced it personally.  Why, my little girls were still adorable and adoring and I could never imagine that they would change.  HA!  (more…)