The Road Less Traveled

There’s this spot in our backyard where you can watch the sun set over the horizon. This time of year, the whole sky turns this dusty pink hue, and if you sit very still, you can almost hear the sun breaking through the horizon as it sinks further and further until all that’s left are […]

What They Don’t Tell You About Becoming a Young Widow

Grief text books tell you that the five stages of grief are: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. Apparently everyone who’s lost someone moves through these stages of grief. Most books make it seem smooth, and seamless. Movies and devotionals make you feel like after a few months, life resumes and starts to look and feel […]

You’re Nobody Special

I am officially 74 days into life without Mike. Yes, I count the days. 74 days of silence, self-soothing techniques, cooking for one, figuring out finances, taking care of the dogs, isolating because of this pandemic, and staring out the window looking for “signs.” The more I research, speak about, and write on my loss, […]

A Million Tiny Little Things

In what felt like the longest brief moment, my little corner of the world became a snow-globe, one of those Christmas ornaments children love to shake up and watch the flakes swirl in unseen currents. Layer upon layer of white crystals blanketed our city, making many Christmas wishes come true this holiday season. As I […]

Sharing Christmas

It’s hard to believe it’s already (yet only) been six weeks since Mike passed. Christmas is fast approaching, as well as what would have been our 13th wedding anniversary; a day I had felt so blessed to celebrate and honored to have near Christmas. The day now taunts me, tapping me on the shoulder, “Excuse […]

The Club You Never Want to be a Part of

“My greatest fear is that he’ll be forgotten.” That’s the first sentence of an article I came across about the unique challenges ‘young widows’ face. It’s a sentiment that has crossed my mind multiple times throughout my days, so much so that I force myself to do things so he won’t be forgotten. The irony […]

What Now? In the Wake of It All

I can hear it. It’s a delicate crunching sound, silencing everything else around me. I close my eyes and open my ears to a sound like the flutter of distant birds’ wings, or the landing of wet, heavy crystals as the snow accumulates on my hair and jacket. It’s like diamond dust that sprinkles down […]

Why I Don’t Ask Why

The 3 G’s–Grace, Guidance, Gratitude. I have clung to these fiercely over the past year. When you are sitting in an emergency room and being told, “Well what your husband has is like Bo Biden or Senator McCain,” your heart literally drops to the floor. Basically the resident “in training” is tell you your husband […]

A Cold Brook Movie, William Fichtner, and Finding Morgan

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you could help someone find closure, help them find their way home; a complete stranger they might be, but–would you help them? Now, what if I told you that complete stranger was a ghost, a spirit–would you help them or run in the other direction? Cold Brook, […]

Finding Morgan in the News

Months after Finding Morgan has come out in stores, it’s still being covered in the news, and it’s so great to see. The Buffalo News covered a story about Morgan’s life struggles and how they parallel real life experiences. While yes, I was a social worker in a previous life, I’m currently a writer/author and […]