Gospel Music Sunday

My dad died 10 years ago today. My mom died 20 years ago last month. They both loved me very much. I wouldn't want them to have lived with the grief of my having a stroke. Although they would've been full of knowledgeable suggestions. In fact, mom had a stroke at 75, too. And they were both proponents of natural foods, supplements and herbal medicine. And they would've been prayer warriors. My family used to talk (half jokingly) about their hotlines to heaven. They would have laid hands on me and agreed in prayer. But they wouldn't have given me what I yearn for today as I listen to gospel songs. Neither of them would have looked me tenderly in the eyes, opened their arms and said, "I'm sorry this happened to you." They would have …

My Mother’s Birthday

Dear Children, Here it is – Mom’s birthday again. Will I ever get better at expressing my feelings about my mother?  I know that the longer I live, the more I understand both her and myself. Observing her difficulty in making connection is an object lesson in love. In the years when you were under […]

Living Through Death

Most of us can only look at death from the outside. We struggle to understand and want to be in it for the people we love, but their’s is a solitary path. My friend is facing the loss of her brother to advancing cancer. She wants to be there for him and craves the close […]

Happy New Year

It wasn’t so long ago that I took a happy new year’s greeting at face value. Of course, the new year would be happy. The worldfFelt totally within my control and I expected good things. Well, I still expect good things. But it has come quite emphatically to my attention in the past year that […]

To My Valentine

To My Valentine, I have so many valentines now. But as I am thinking about my children and my grandchildren, my mind turns to you. You are the one, after all. You are the one who has always loved me. All of those years ago I didn’t understand how such a stud decided to pay […]

…on Christmas and You

(NOTE:  Do you want to write to your new love? Your aging husband?  Your child?  Your Friend?   I hope this helps you find the words you need for the person you love.  This is one of a series of requested letters  posted under “Form Letters” for those of you who would like an idea or […]

Welcome to My World of Letters

Many of you are looking for a specific letter for ideas to help you write to someone you love. You are welcome to take what you need from this site for your personal use. But here’s the deal. You can do it yourself.  Go to the top of the main blog page or click here […]

My Best Therapy

I walked along the beach from my daughters place to the enramada. ****** After five months of needing care, I wanted to take my annual sojourn to Mexico and regain some independence. After a stroke it is easy to feel as if you will be dependent forever. And it’s easy to be lazy. When everyone […]

International Travel – post stroke

My trip to Mexico was a wonderful dream. It is an annual trip and I began planning for it three weeks after my stroke. My ticket had been bought earlier and I was determined to visit my “familia” in Mexico and be near the seashore for the month of January. My daughters were committed to […]

Christmas Changes

Christmas changes every year. Some are barely recognizable as Christmas past. Somewhere along the way we became more interested in giving than getting. We are more captivated by the needs of strangers and less interested what our children and grandchildren might want – they don’t really need anything. And through the stories that filter back […]