Another school shooting, another failure in doing something so automatic. — Love and safety Another crushing murder spree. At least 19 children lost their lives and their futures. Remember when as parents-to-be, we knew the connection between love and safety? Even our government knew it. Every time we went for pre-natal check-ups, we got prepared. …

A letter written in sorrow, in anger, and guilt — Dear Boys and Girls, I am a grownup who wants to tell you something. I am so sorry. Many times we tell kids not to be mad at each other or at their moms and dads. But you deserve to hear “Sorry.” …

We all had to work together when the only thing we had in common was loss — Note: It is Mental Health Awareness Month. This is a story about suicide, a topic that can be hard for some to deal with. However, be assured that this is not at all graphic, or “dark.”********keep??? I was raised in an observant Catholic home. In it, I learned about rules…

Saving bits and scraps of writing can lead to great stories — The “usual method” We often “linear” pieces— with beginnings, middles, ends. We know what we’re writing about. We know what kind of piece it’s going to be- memoir, kneeslapping humor, historical fiction. We plant our butts in our chairs and dedicate our directed energies to creating interesting and readable prose around those parameters…

I call them “bread crumbs” — Memories and meanings The frequent feeling when I’m depressed or anxious is the sense that I am completely and totally lost. Because I rush to the worst possible outcomes, I know that I will never find my way home. I have lost my way. It has happened before, but optimism never penetrates the…

I bought in to the delusion that my baby and I would be “naturals.” — Preparation When I preparing for my baby, years ago, it was in a Kool-Aid culture in which your work on the little clothes, the special artistic touches, the classes, the over-the-top showers, all promised to enhance your “bonding” with the baby. It hasn’t changed. The “infant industrial complex” is burgeoning. New…

Keep an open mind. You just might need it. — We believe that Geezer is a state of mind. Therefore we have no age limits. Instead… A Geezer applicant looks at other dating services and feels instantly exhausted. A Geezer applicant looks at online photos and can’t figure out why all the people are smiling. A Geezer only lets five minutes of engagement pass before launching into a full throated discussion of his medication regimen.

The journey that landed me so far from home was inside my own mind — Where am I? I wake from a mean night, and try to shake off combination of anger and fear. This is not my place. This is not my bed. A stranger lengthens my arm and slips a blood pressure cuff on it. “Did we sleep well last night?” she asks cheerily. “No, god…

Part One — The transition In the next few months, I will transition from separated to divorced. My husband and I have found a way to maintain connection during this time. I don’t know how, but we have. The technical legal part comes now. The real end. I’ve filled out most of my forms. I…