Had you asked me before –prior to this pandemic– if I'd ever blog about religion, I am certain I would have answered no, without hesitation. Way back then it simply wouldn't have been something to pop to the top of my writing topics of the moment. Too private. And, prior to the pandemic, I was … Continue reading A religion of kindness
Gratefulness
This one’s for Karen
Our dear friend Karen died on February 4 of this year, 11 days prior to my release of Then, Now, and In-Between: Place, Memories, and Loss in Oregon. Karen was loved by so many: friends like me and students and co-workers and sisters and brothers and nephews and sons and a daughter and her husband … Continue reading This one’s for Karen
Bring back the joy: the illustrations we remember
My brain is distracted, as much as I want to get on with writing something significant. (But what...my distracted brain asks....is significant?) During my non-work hours and between checking email or worrying about my adult kid making it through COVID-19 or thinking about an elderly mom I can't visit - I have moments of concentration, … Continue reading Bring back the joy: the illustrations we remember
True confessions: Kitchen Aerobics
This new world of COVID-19 invites me to write about topics not previously imagined or considered. For after all, in what has before felt more like normal times - even if I didn’t recognize them as such - I write about things of importance, at least from my perspective. More than that, much of my … Continue reading True confessions: Kitchen Aerobics
Practice loving kindness
I was prepared to blog about the new J.K. Gill Building arising in downtown Portland. Yet, different thoughts bubbled up, insisting that I hold off on that one for now. Our community has been shattered this past week. Outraged and angry as we learn details about horrible incidents that lay hidden, until now. We should … Continue reading Practice loving kindness
Defining how we show up
Last week I received a picture in the mail, sent by a cousin. It was of Mom thirty years ago, vibrant in life at an age just two years younger than I am now. She was beautiful, strong - and I could tell - had an agenda ahead of her. I realized as I held … Continue reading Defining how we show up
Siblings: when the going gets tough
I’ve been thinking a lot about siblings, unconditional love and legacy. When my dad died, now over 5 years ago, it didn’t take long for me to realize I was now part of two new clubs, whether I wanted to join or not. The first was that of children, young and old, who had lost … Continue reading Siblings: when the going gets tough
Yes, I will use the D word
Over the last few years I have found myself avoiding using it. I might say, memory challenge, or memory loss, but not dementia. As I embrace initiatives both at work and in my community to reduce stigma associated with mental illness, I started thinking....what do I fear when I fail to call it what it … Continue reading Yes, I will use the D word
How we connect: hello Montana
Whitefish Lake, Montana from Amtrak train. It all began when the woman asked me to watch her luggage so she could dash, unencumbered by belongings, into the Union Station bathroom. (The PA system had announced the Empire Builder train was running at least an hour late.) When she returned she asked me about the book … Continue reading How we connect: hello Montana
An event at midlife: crisis, challenge, breakthrough, or opportunity?
This blog was originally posted at Women Writers, Women's Books on May 1, 2019. When I was 26 years old, my 54-year-old mom received her doctorate. She had divorced my dad a few years prior, moved from Portland, Oregon to San Francisco, and enrolled in a Ph.D. program that seemed crazy to some of her … Continue reading An event at midlife: crisis, challenge, breakthrough, or opportunity?
