Mother and Father-Out-Law

I’m a word nerd. I love the sound of words and how the varying combinations of consonants and vowels have unique and specific meaning. But sometimes English fails me. I’m left scrounging for a concept or word that doesn’t exist. For example, there’s no word to describe sunlight sparkling on the ocean. There’s no word … Continue reading Mother and Father-Out-Law

My Place

When the world is spinning too fast and I can’t seem to catch my breath, I come here.  It is my place. I’ve found sanity, solace and sensibility here. I have bawled, released shrieks of excitement, cries of pain and grappled with life’s unfairness here. This is the place where I let it all go. … Continue reading My Place

The Yearly Word

  ~Kim Libertini My divorce battle was taking its toll.  I found myself reeling in the process. One morning, a news story centered on a book titled Just One Word ,by Mike Ashcroft and Rachel Olsen,  explained this concept of avoiding new year resolutions which can be easily be broken and then prevent growth. “Choose a … Continue reading The Yearly Word

The Lookback

~Kim Libertini~ It was a casual acknowledgement but one that triggered an epic realization. The woman who said it was only an acquaintance. Walking in a hall, she headed toward me and stopped.  “You look good,” she said. “I don’t know what is different about you, but you really look good.” There it was.  An … Continue reading The Lookback

Grappling Guilt and Finding Forgiveness

~Kim Libertini Loss triggers the rollout of a thick fog of guilt. That fog sits heavily impairing visibility.  Depending on the type of loss and the nature of the relationship, guilt varies. I know this because I grappled with guilt with each successive loss.   When I lost my father, I was forced to examine … Continue reading Grappling Guilt and Finding Forgiveness

Your Loss, Your Way

~Kim Libertini That day, I was at work.  The details of that moment I won’t ever forget.  I had just finished teaching a class. The main office had paged me.  When I arrived, my then husband was standing there. In the midst of the daily school scurry he delivered the news that my father had … Continue reading Your Loss, Your Way

There was a time when the hardest question was “how are you?” It was the Trojan horse of greetings. People welcomed it into daily conversation where it laid bare my defenseless heart. The worst part is there’s no great answer when you’re not doing so great. Is it better to lie, or cry and make … Continue reading

Pangs of Grief

~Kim Libertini I have experienced it enough to know when it’s about to happen.  Yet despite the recognizable symptoms, I still can’t stop the inevitable.  First there is the burning in my nose, followed by the welling of tears in my eyes and then the slow escape and steady roll of those tears from my … Continue reading Pangs of Grief

House or Home?

~Kim Libertini “It’s just a house.” These delivered words, seemed so flippant. When I look back to all the places I have lived, there are a number of dwellings that served the sole purpose of providing me a place to rest my head at night. Those were just a house. As I moved through life, … Continue reading House or Home?

It’s 2a.m.

~Kim Libertini It's 2a.m. My mind racing, I stare at the bedroom ceiling. I make lists. I’m running through options and all possible scenarios, having an argument inside my head. I haven’t slept much with this weighing on me. This is how it works. Unfortunately, this comes with bearing the title sole survivor. When faced … Continue reading It’s 2a.m.