Selfish or Selfless: Caring for the Elderly

You know them and just maybe you think of them once in a while. They are alive, or one of them still is. They raised you until you were weaned, helped develop your character, encouraged, and supported you, until you left the house. Or just maybe they didn’t; they were heartless, life sucking, and you…

Letting November Go

It started by mourning the loss of my mother. Her death hit me so hard, that I am still in disbelief that it happened at all. I have a frozen image of her in my mind, living, breathing and I miss her like the dickens. November, all 30 days of it, I had forgotten who…

Yes, You May Call Me a Pawn

I pretend that I’m visiting from out of town. I am on vacation for the summer, sitting upon the terra-cotta deck overlooking a large lake full of boats going wherever the wind takes them. Blue sky and linear clouds just beyond my reach, thoughtfully sorted apart and timely covering the sun each time I get…

Losing You

Walking away is the best I can do as you cry yourself to sleep at 4:42pm. For all you know it’s morning, as you have the last few months at this time. You are confused, but you don’t know why, you are incorrigible, nothing will help the situation, thus is the reason I must step…

Villain in the Night

You’ve been caught red handed robbing the bird feeder in the darkest hours, like a thief at an ATM. This is not the first time I’ve caught you perched upon the white fence leaning ever so slightly toward the squirrel proof feeder; just enough to keep your balance and slap bird seed into your paw….

Half Awake

I lay here in my dark bedroom listening to the sound of water, when metal shower curtain hooks scrap across a metal shower bar pulling me straight out of my dream state. Immediately, all I could say out loud in a whiny voice was, “Nooohoho!” It’s 3am…dementia is awake. It has no concept of time,…

PURPLE

  When I first saw the sun go down on this particular evening last week, I thought, nothing about going out in the freezing temps to capture it. But, when the light reflected off the snow, I couldn’t contain myself; adorned winter gear, grabbed my camera and stepped out into a magical place.

The Old Woman

She’s out there, in the valley of branches, her appearance battling sun and shadows, old body leaning headlong into the future, while pine shields her from strong winds and bitter cold, as winter finds its way into January.

Becoming Someone Else: a fading memory

I wish sometimes I had a little camera on my glasses so I can visually show my parents the situation when I explain it to them later than 4:30am.  I faintly hear my voice in the dark surrounding my dream state. In a panic, I open my sleepy eyelids and wait for sound to break…

Where Does She Go?

I sit with my grandmother often, a ready hand when she’s in need. I am a safe place when she is lonely, a conversation techie when questions arise, a chef satisfying her taste buds, a hugger in confusion, and an encourager of her independence. At 99-years old, she’s lived longest in this home, raised a…

R E A C H

out of the darkness and into the light, beyond the fears that hold us back and into joy that awaits.

Unstained by the World

“I wanna Seek you first I wanna Love you more” those song lyrics from United Pursuit – Hidden, I’ve listened to over and over this morning. How many times do we want to seek Him first? Every day do I want to run after Him more intently. “Tomorrow.” I tell myself. Tomorrow I will seek…