The moment that shakes you
What do you do when your partner of 15 years is told he has an 80 percent chance of dying within three months? What do you do when two days earlier you and his good friend rush him to the ER because he can barely stand? What do you do when two weeks prior to…
An Unremarkable Story
Tim and I were in Sedonna for a few days to ring in 2013. This was a place we visited quite often. On this occasion, it was colder than we had planned for and in fact, it snowed. We stopped at a random, mom-and-pop outfitter store to get something a bit warmer to wear. As…
The other side of the bridge
Did anyone notice this blog is posted two weeks later than my usual schedule? Thank you to the three people who checked in with me about it. And the rest of you, I still truly appreciate you. (haha!) As I’ve said before, these are my self-imposed deadlines. But it’s the first one I’ve missed in…
Let’s forgive them
Tim had been in the hospital for four nights. On the morning of the fifth day, we put in motion the decision we had already made together, to transfer him into hospice care within the hospital. When I reflect back on this decision, it’s impossible to recall the conversation around it. There certainly was no…
Another year of the best of the best
In 2023, I went on 86 hikes, thirty-two of which were on trails new to me. For the past four years, I’ve been documenting my annual hiking activity. It’s not a race. It’s not a goal. It’s not a competition with myself or anyone. It’s simply an important part of my life. My move to…
Loss is hiding in the trees
It was just nearly six years ago that Tim and I hiked in Rocky Mtn National Park. Instead of going to a main entrance, we chose an area that was actually only trail head parking. No gate. No ranger. And in fact, there were only a few other cars parked there. We honestly knew very…
Who will call?
A few months ago a man left three voice messages for my sister, Jackie, in less than 24 hours. He said he grew up in the area and was calling to inquire about my Mom. He left his name and Florida number. She was suspicious, but when she shared his name with me, I knew…
My one and only
November 24, 2023 – Today, I am reminded of this, when someone you love, who you are immensely invested in, has just died, But there is one thing that I learned only now, in this moment. No matter how old I am and how expected her death may have been, it really hurts, because my…
Now’s the time
Now’s the time for the return of My Heart is Riding Shotgun. I hope I have been missed. At least a few of you said so, and that is good enough for me! I’m back, so consider this your signal to watch for my new, and oh so important, post going live this Saturday, December…
Grief is not a bad thing
My blog has been live since March 2020. I’ve published 78 entries and have had 5,370 visitors and 10,705 views. When I started, I didn’t have a hard list of goals. It was mainly this – write because it feels like something that will help me to heal; share because it feels like something that…
The only way out is through
Although I am not a risk taker, I have rarely shied away from a challenge. And for me, one of the surprising things I’ve found in grief is, it has made me feel like there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain. It’s an odd sense of invincibility. How can I be hurt? What could…