This is a photo of Charles William Slaughter taken at his birthday party a couple of nights ago. He's the tall one, and he turned 0! Charles is our adopted grandpa. Over the last five years, he became a fixture for ice-cream outings, gardening projects, porch sitting, cartoon binge-watching, and Christmas mornings. Last night we … Continue reading Love Is Thicker Than Blood
~Kim Libertini I remember looking into the mirror and feeling complete and utter failure. As a child, growing up in a divorced household, I swore I would not do what my parents did to me. And there it was, this reflection of a woman that had just filed for divorce. I knew my choice would … Continue reading Reflection of Failure
The gloom had been brewing since the veterinarian called earlier in the day, but it descended with the sunset. That morning, I had dropped my cat Boots off at the animal clinic after a particularly bad fight with the neighborhood Tomcat. "Boots has fleas," said the vet over the phone, pausing as her words found … Continue reading Golden Scars
As I attempted to crawl out from the rubble, I remember looking for support. I looked for the faces of those that I expected would be there. Only to find that I had lost many along the way. Years later, I understand why and how this happens. Back then, these added losses compounded my grief … Continue reading Gains
Oh boy, Mother’s Day is approaching. This holiday can be a doozy. While it allows some people to bask in the warm glow of love, family and lineage, for many others, especially those who have lost a mother, child or spouse, the day feels hard and painful. That's why it’s time to rewrite Mother’s Day. … Continue reading Mother’s Day Permission Slip
My mom was a blonde, standing about 5 foot 5 inches tall with steel blue eyes. Being adopted she and I share no physical traits whatsoever. She’s been gone over 7 years now. The longer she’s gone, the more I see how much, despite the lack of genetics, she influenced the woman and mother I … Continue reading Love Leaves A Mark
Grief changed me. Not just in the obvious ways. Suddenly I own a keen awareness of the power of words, an understanding that a smile doesn’t always reflect happiness and a heightened sensitivity toward others. It’s unfortunate that people miss the way their words can be interpreted. For the most part, I don’t think the … Continue reading Digesting Words After Grief
You are not alone. There are people who get your grief. It may feel otherwise. Trust me, I’ve been there. It takes one person to change this. Just one. One understanding individual to reach out and say, “I hear you.” For me, that person was Kim. Kim became a rock when grief swirled and eddied … Continue reading Just One
There is a special dish in my china cabinet that my children know I use when we have company. As I take it from the cabinet shelf and carry it to the kitchen, I can hear my mom’s voice. I think about her while I’m filling the plate with food and her face becomes a … Continue reading Treasures Left Behind
Photo credit: Unsplash.com Along the shores of the South China Sea, where I was conceived by an American GI and a Vietnamese woman, Grit and I would meet for our first time. After being luckily removed in the last hours from Operation Babylift's first flight out of Saigon, which ultimately crashed in a rice paddy and perished … Continue reading Grit, Grief and Me
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