Tag: family
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The Cat Didn’t Second-Guess Anything
Recently, my daughter’s boyfriend sent her a picture of the most beautiful little furball. She showed up on the steps of the cottage he’s staying at and helped herself to his lobster fishing gear like she had an open invitation. Make no mistake, this was no stray cat. We’re assuming it’s a female, she was…
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Under a full moon, a simple reminder
There’s something about a full moon that makes me pause. Whether you believe in the energy behind it or not, you have to admit—things just feel different. This past Friday night, with the full moon in Scorpio hanging quietly overhead, my daughter Jordyn and I found ourselves on FaceTime. She’s a night owl, and I’m…
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The Woman I Raised Is Teaching Me How to Be One
When I was growing up, being a “good woman” meant being agreeable. It meant keeping the peace and not making things awkward. There was an unwritten expectation to smooth things over when someone else made a mess and to carry more than your share all the while calling it love. The word no didn’t come…
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The great divide: walking my dad home
This spring will mark three years since my dad died of cancer. Do you ever look back at your life and divide it into “before” and “after”? For me, that moment was losing a parent. When my dad first told me he had colon cancer, I was in shock. I never imagined cancer would touch…
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Holiday Families
Holiday Families, sometimes you hear that and think, not me! And yet, there’s something undeniably bittersweet about it. You know the type; those people you love deeply yet only see when there’s a turkey in the oven or stockings hanging on the mantel. They’re family, yes, but the rhythm of life seems to hold us…
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If you want a village, you have to be a villager
We’ve all heard the saying “it takes a village.” Usually, it’s in reference to raising children — but honestly, it applies to almost every stage of life. We all crave connection, support, and a sense of belonging. I’ll be honest: I’m an introvert. I do love people when the time is right, but being social…
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Breaking generational curses – even now with my grown children
“I will never treat my children like that!” I used to mutter those words to my parents often, especially in my teen years. It was my small rebellion, my private promise to myself that I would do better—even if I didn’t know yet what “better” looked like. For a long time, I believed healing had…
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Letting go when the nest finally empties
This post might not be original because I know many parents have shared similar stories about the empty nest when kids go off to college or university, but here’s my perspective. Even though it’s a common experience, the feelings are still deeply personal each time a parent goes through it. From the time my children…
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The one we don’t talk about (and that’s a good thing)
There’s a moment that sticks with me from one of my therapy sessions. I was deep in conversation unraveling worries about one child, then my father’s illness and on top of that; grandchildren and being a caregiver when I had barely anything left to give— when my therapist gently asked:“Have you ever noticed we rarely…
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Loving my son through the hard parts
A mother/son bond is hard to beat. It’s so different from the mother/daughter bond. From the outside, you would say “they seem so close” and we are, but like most real relationships, the truth is layered. There is a deep love yet there have also been wounds, tension, and a kind of emotional stickiness that’s…
The Other Side of Nice 