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…
There are endless ways to receive her rewards
I say it a lot, and I feel it even more. Nature heals. In 2024, I went on 88 hikes, thirty-seven of which were on trails new to me. For the past five years, I’ve been documenting my annual hiking activity (which includes snowshoeing). I’m never trying to achieve a goal, but I get out…
A sandwich of strangers
I’m an introvert and typically get most energized by my solo time. Generally, I’m an observer of others. I think through things before I speak and will only share if I believe there is something important to add. For all of these reasons, writing suits me well. But I’ve also had a long career that…
One more ride
My mom, Sharon, passed away on November 24, 2023. This is the same date, November 24, on which her own mother died 57 years earlier. We only learned of this synchronicity a few days after Mom’s death. It amazed me. It, somehow, comforted me. And it made me reflect, even more, on what had been…
Spoiler alert
I’m back. Happy to be writing. Feeling like I might have something to say about life and love and loss and grief. I hope that I’m still able to get your attention in your inbox. Spoiler alert – watch for a new blog post this Saturday, November 23rd! Before then, it’s a great time to…
Being and Doing
Do we always have choices? I think so. And I hope so. We may not always like the ones that are available. Sometimes, of course, we may feel limited. But even when something is thrust upon us, not by choice, we still choose our response and other related things that arise from the circumstances. Experiencing…
Oranges
There are all kinds of changes that can occur in our habits and abilities when experiencing the loss of someone we love. Grief can take over in unanticipated ways. After Tim died, I found reading a book to be immensely frustrating. It was difficult for me to concentrate beyond a few pages at a time.…
Truths worth repeating
I have been writing regularly for over four years and have published 89 blogs on My Heart is Riding Shotgun. Most of them are timeless. I can reread and often still find myself so clearly identifying with the place I was in when I wrote it, though thankfully, I am usually not still standing there. …
I’m actually okay with it
I can be pretty stubborn. I’m a Taurus. A Bull. I like to think I’m more stubborn with myself than with others. My friends and family may say otherwise. Anyway, my stubbornness has been on point in a household matter with Hank Hank has had a few run-ins with the kitchen trash can. My 13-year-old…
This new math is hard
Math, or anything closely related, was never an enjoyable subject for me. I was lucky though. I had one of my favorite teachers in high school for Algebra 1 and 2. Mrs. Bowman was tough but encouraging. She was the kind of teacher that I would work hard for and really learn from, so I…
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…