Unlike Snoopy’s happy dance, June can rob me of motivation to do much more than take slow motion baby steps forward. Do you ever dread stepping into a certain month? Never would I have imagined that an entire month would challenge my contentment the way June has for the last 12 years. This year, especially. […]
Hot summer days remind me of joyful times in childhood with the neighborhood kids. Playing tag, running around, climbing trees, riding bicycles. Especially riding bikes. Sneakers pedaling as fast as small feet allow, wind blowing through our hair, singing silly songs as we ride down alleys and streets, exploring the space where we live. Freedom. […]
Inhaling deeply, I stepped on the swinging tire that hung above the water. The hole in the middle appeared HUGE and the tire rim that was my step target looked thin and inadequate. That first step overwhelmed my being. Then I heard my nephew calling encouragement from behind. “You can do this, Aunt Julie. Just […]
Have you ever wondered what you can give someone who has suffered a miscarriage, stillbirth, or child loss? The most treasured gifts are often the smallest. The Gift The first angel came from my sister as a sweet token of remembrance after a doctor’s appointment. The news I had received was bleak – the tiny […]
Real Definition “What is real?” asked the Velveteen Rabbit one day. “Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?” “Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play […]
The small sign conveyed holiday cheer with block red letters on a small foam core square – similar to those Christmas Light ad signs I’ve seen around town since October. As I waited for the light to turn green, I looked around the intersection, scanned the sign, moved on visually, then did a double take. […]
The holiday season is in full swing and waves of pain and grief engulf the joy of many this time of year. Life adventure brings jubilant events as well as times in the valley of despair. There can be an expectation (often self-imposed) of a Norman Rockwell, “ideal” holiday. Social media doesn’t help – we […]
A Day of Remembrance When people hear my story of infertility, miscarriage, and involuntary childlessness, one common question asked is how they can help a friend, loved one, or co-worker who has experienced a similar loss. In 1988, United States President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October 1988 as “Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.” The observation […]