Sesimbra, Portugal, is a place with history. She’s known grief and loss. Her cracked cobblestones are soaked with centuries of tears. History is seeped into her narrow, steep streets, but she doesn’t mourn for those lost. She knows that death is part of life. Nothing surprises her. Nothing defeats her. She simply bears witness and remains…
Read MoreI hate addiction. It’s sneaky and greedy. It never takes just one. It tears families and communities apart and spreads its poison through generations. What many people don’t realize, though, is that recovery is an antidote. It also does not live in isolation. Like addiction, recovery is powerful enough to transform people, families, and communities. Recovery can change lives now and for future generations.
Recovery is so much more than not using drugs or alcohol. It’s more than simply stopping certain problem behaviours. Recovery is continual, personal healing…
Read MoreI’ve spent the most wonderful two weeks immersed in the Summer Writers’ Retreat at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. The retreat was unstructured, designed to support writers and provide quality time to write amidst the stunning natural beauty of Banff.
Ground squirrels, deer, and elk kept me company on my daily walks while the majestic Rockies towered over me…
Read MoreFADE IN:
INTERIOR OF HOME. NIGHT.
MYSELF, a middle-aged woman with a cat on her lap, sits in front of her laptop, right index finger hovering over the “Publish” button. She’s about to publish her first personal blog post. Or not. She takes a couple of deep breaths, then scrunches up her face and pulls her hand away from the computer. ..
Read MoreYou’re the inescapable storm
Of heart-breaking firsts
And the relentless loss
Of a thousand sweet souls
As more mothers mourn
And the world rages on…
Read MoreTristan loved the alchemy of cooking: broiling chicken bones until lightly charred and simmering them for hours until transformed into a rich aromatic stock that he’d use in sauces or soup or a glaze. But he was equally thrilled by the quick bliss of an Oreo McFlurry. Tristan loved everything about food. …
Read MoreMy daughter, Jenn, recently celebrated two years of sobriety. She worked damned hard for it (still does, every day, one day at a time) and the gifts of recovery are flowing into her life. It’s what I expected, if she walked that road. What I didn’t expect were the mountain of gifts that Jenn’s recovery would bring to my life…
Read MoreWe have a powerful story in my family, passed down through generations. It tells us who we are and comforts us through hardship. Like all the best stories, it’s simple and easy to remember.
Our story is, “I’m fine. I’m not a burden.” Our story is fiction.
My parents are fighting again. I can’t make out the words, but it’s scary. The house might crash down with all the shouting. They might tear each other apart like when our dog got my teddy bear and pulled its legs and arms off and left stuffing everywhere…
Read MoreI’ve always loved this photo of me and Tristan. It was taken on a beautiful summer’s day when my kids and I were all together, enjoying each other and our friends. Tristan balances on a cement beam set between a parking lot and brush-filled hillside. He walks carefully, confidently, teetering a bit, losing balance now and again, but he always corrects himself. He stays on the beam, eyes ahead….
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