Walking in Their Shoes

I haven’t written much about my mother since she died from the effects of age and dementia almost two years ago. I think of her often, but once in awhile I come across something that reminds me of her terrible disease and what we went through together as her mind and health failed. Actor Zach Ward, whom I follow on Twitter, recently posted the following: “Today with Dad broke my heart. I am so sad & angry I want toRead more

Land the Plane, Arrive

To arrive on the other side of pain isolation flying into the sun Find patience   To arrive down river of anxiety stress knotted shorts Breathe, dammit   To arrive across the bridge of fear sadness laying in the mud Ignore angry trolls   To arrive without delay detour roads closed fixing flat tires Avoid potholes   To arrive on land sanity intact clear-headed peaceful in meditation Let go of smelly dung   To arrive on the other side isRead more

SoCS: In This Joint

What is this joint, where I sacrifice? It’s barren, lonely, dark What is this place, where I walk? The path of crushing pain Why am I here? What have I done, my friends to deserve this horrid end? Have I not loved you enough? Not forgiven you enough? I thought I kept you well fed. Yet, here I am. In this joint, this Calvary, I spend my final hours, alone and with bretheren. Eating, hanging out, walking in a gardenRead more

Letting Go of 40 Years

What would you do if a friend of 40 years suddenly stopped talking? Radio silence. No phone calls, no letters, no explanation, no nothing. It will be three years in December since I last talked to my friend. I’ve been alternately sad, hurt and angry at various times, but Thursday was the worst. Perhaps it was the mutual acquaintance I ran into the day before who shared that he had seen my friend a month ago, had lunch with her,Read more