Today is my first Mother’s Day without my mom. And listen… when I was a kid, I thought my mother was rough. Not mean. Just tough, sometimes strict, and always in your business. The kind of woman that could roll her eyes so hard it felt like a personal attack. Those eyes had power. But let me be clear… YOU were not allowed to roll your eyes back at her. If you valued your life, you kept that little attitude to yourself and mumbled under your breath where she couldn’t hear it. Like many moms, I think she also had bionic ears. That was a mommy super power. And my…
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Holding On To The Laughter
Yesterday, I was frustrated with someone—really frustrated. Today, I learned they had passed away. Hearing about their passing, floored me. My heart ached for the family, their friends and myself. Somewhere between the hurt, I realized how much being human is about holding on to the laughter, even when the days don’t unfold the way we expect. That same person tested my patience, but they also made me laugh more than anyone else. They always wanted to know they stood on my good side. That mattered to them. Reading a room wasn’t their strength—not because they didn’t care, but because they focused only on smiles and appreciation. They saw sunshine…
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Lessons in Living, from Dragonflies and My Mom
This is the first in a quiet series of reflections I’ll be sharing throughout the year — things I’m learning as I continue living, healing, and finding light where I can. Lesson One: Life Continues After Loss As this year comes to a close, I’ve been thinking a lot about something my dad asked of me a long time ago. When he passed in 2002, he made me promise him one thing — that I would live. At the time, I didn’t really understand what he meant. Back then, living felt like doing what needed to be done — getting up, going to work, being responsible, showing up for everyone…
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Christmas Is Over (And Mom Would’ve Approved)
This was our first Christmas without my mom — and Christmas is officially over. Letting the First Christmas Without My Mom Be What It Was This was our first Christmas without my mom, and it was the holiday we worried about the most. She gained her wings in June, and somehow it feels like she planned this Christmas in a way she knew we could manage. Still, Christmas showed up anyway. The day felt warm and easy. Laughter came naturally, without forcing itself, and the food followed — plentiful, comforting, and shared without rushing. The gifts felt thoughtful, and joy found its way in right when we needed it. Then,…
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It’s Almost Christmas, and I’m Not Emotionally Prepared for Another Turkey
It’s almost Christmas, and I’m going to be honest — I’m not emotionally prepared for another turkey. The only birds I want to hear about are the partridges in a pear tree. In fact, we didn’t even have turkey for Thanksgiving. By that point, we were already turkeyed out. So instead, we made pot roast — but some of the familiar sides were welcome to the party. Macaroni and cheese is mandatory. Of course, the same goes for sweet potato pie. Honestly, part of this goes way back to childhood. My father believed in getting the biggest bird possible and recycling it for days: turkey dinner, turkey sandwiches, even turkey…
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Thanksgiving Is Beautiful, It’s Over and It’s Exhausting
Family and friends celebrating at Thanksgiving
