It’s the wee hours. In Christmases past we would have already been up for a while. There would be noise, unwrapping, and kids everywhere trying out all the gifts and, by now, a Christmas morning breakfast in the works. Today, I sit in the shimmer of my Christmas tree in silence. There is snow on … Continue reading Christmas 2020
Family
Shhh, the Baby is Sleeping
“Shhhh, the baby is sleeping.” Common words when there is a newborn nearby. We tiptoe. We go around. We turn off the music. We wait to get out the pots and pans. We silence the TV. We whisper. It is as if our whole world is waiting. Fully grown adults rearranging our lives over a … Continue reading Shhh, the Baby is Sleeping
Cranberry Sauce
Sometimes grief comes galloping into the heart like a battering ram at the front door, forcing its way inside. Other times grief sneaks in the back door, like a thief, and makes its way to the table. On big days, such as Thanksgiving, the heart knows to guard the front door. All the memories come … Continue reading Cranberry Sauce
Tis the Season
I have always loved decorating early for Christmas. If my family would let me, I would start in October. Not that I don’t love Thanksgiving, not that I want to rush past it, but there is something about the Christmas season that just makes me happy. My heart is lighter; my step is peppier. I … Continue reading Tis the Season
I Am Soooo Full!
I am sooo full! These words are common this time of year, expected even. Families sit around tables laden with food, the traditional dishes of generations are laid out before us. If their recipes don the table, somehow our grandmothers are there, too. The more matriarchs die, the bigger the feast. Honestly, my foremothers would … Continue reading I Am Soooo Full!
The Latest
It’s been awhile since I gave you all an update on life. I have gotten two new jobs! One is a clerk in the guidance office at Chestatee Academy in Gainesville. It is a morning job which fits perfectly with my tutoring schedule. I answer phones, handle files and generally do whatever they need me … Continue reading The Latest
Dancing in the Rain
Family celebrations are a welcome respite in these crazy times in which we are living. My nephew, James, and his bride, Erin, had planned their wedding for March at the Jule Collins Smith Art Museum, on the Auburn campus where they met. That date had to be cancelled due to Coronavirus. Two more times they … Continue reading Dancing in the Rain
A Great Love
Today, we moved Mom to her new room. It went as good as these things can go. When we told her she was moving she said, “okay.” And that was that. We were not allowed to go into the unit or arrange her things, but one of her caregivers was. They came for her belongings … Continue reading A Great Love
Sitting With Grief
You may have noticed I have been missing in action as of late. I have learned, from doing it wrong so many times in my life, that grief takes an enormous amount of energy. When I am in a season of grieving, I have to give it space. That means giving up other things, so … Continue reading Sitting With Grief
Gravity
Walking yesterday, I felt gravity pulling my shoes down. It flowed through my body and I could feel the heavy weight of it. An invisible force always tugging towards the center of the earth, and it was in my feet. Every step heavier than the previous one. Every upward movement a battle. To lift my … Continue reading Gravity
