After 3-years of silence, my Thanksgiving blessing was getting a phone call from my nephew. He has ghosted me since his mother’s death. We spoke for an hour about my sister’s (his mother’s) illness and passing, his father’s behaviour then and now, my aging mother’s (his grandmother’s) care-giving needs, and our individual reactions to all […]
Trauma is not the traumatic event. Trauma is the aftermath of self-sacrifice. It consists of beliefs, confusions and tension patterns that unfold after traumatic circumstances interrupt love’s natural earnest. Patterns that can take a lifetime to discern and dissolve. Healing from childhood paternal sexual abuse has asked me to repeatedly tell my story in an […]
Why can it feel like a heart-punch when someone doesn’t express gratitude, care or affection when you’ve demonstrated yours to them? In theory, it’s been said, the need to hear others express their love spikes, when our belief in being loved or lovable dips. Reassurance feels like the only way to soothe the body’s ache […]
As I relaxed into my Adirondack vacation, complete with a mountain view; cooking on campfires; hiking through wooded paths; canoeing through lily-pads; and, watching the sky drift by, I began to see better without my glasses. I started to notice that when I was physically “in-feel” with the natural world I would remove my progressive […]
Age is often the excuse for having less physical or athletic potential. But as we are witnessing in the Olympics, mindset overrides physical performance. And for the aging, emotional intelligence is your greatest asset to manage mindset. How often do you hear, from yourself or friends, “I used to be able to do that!” This […]
During my nine-months of foot pain due to a ruptured fascia, I yearned to be back in dance class. I feared that life as I knew it could be over. Now that the pain has decreased to being without a cane, I am grateful to just walk to the grocery store. But here’s the thing, […]
It was after 8-months of foot pain and 3-months on a cane, an MRI report showed that my foot condition was severe and chronic. Something the doctor said we’ll manage. But, it is not repairable. A few days of tears were followed by various problem solving ideas to possibly keep me in ballet classes, and […]
During the past two-months of nursing an injured foot, I was joined by a nursing pigeon with two hatchlings. They transformed my, all but, house arrest into a sacred retreat. I nested in my apartment convalescing, refraining from as many activities that created stress mentally or physically; while they were nestling, in a ceramic pot […]
Between internal scrutiny—examining how an injury could have been avoided—and external perception—experiencing how your world responds to your injury—the ups and downs of healing goes beyond the body’s health. It’s an emotional yo-yo! Being diagnosed with plantar fasciitis accompanied by a fascia tear led to months of physical compromise. I gimp around with a cane; […]
Our bags backed, goodbyes made, we wait for our ride to the airport home bound. Anthony says, “so much has changed since we got here!” I reply, “but we’ve done nothing?” One week of not having to do the things that shape our daily lives and satisfy our ambitions. One week to relax and recline. […]