The holidays can bring a swirl of emotions — joy, tenderness, memory, gratitude, and sometimes deep fatigue or loneliness. For many of us, this season carries both warmth and weight. Especially for those who have cared deeply, lost deeply, or lived through difficult transitions, December can stir an ache between what once was and what now is.
Holding the Holidays with Courage and Care Read More »
November invites a turning inward. The days grow shorter, and nature begins its quiet retreat beneath the surface. I see it every morning when I walk my dog Chloe – trees are shedding, and the morning light is more subdued now. For caregivers—and for all of us navigating life’s many seasons—this time of year can stir a profound mix of emotions.
Gratitude and Grief: The Inner Harvest Read More »
Last night I slept poorly—the kind of restless night that leaves you groggy and unsteady in the morning. But as I sat with my journal today, I noticed something surprising: I felt good. Not because I was rested, but because I felt the challenge. Could I make it a productive day anyway?
Compassionate Conversations: Small Challenges, Big Strength Read More »
As I’ve aged—and especially now, in what I refer to as the autumn of my life—I’ve noticed changes in my physical strength. Muscles tire more quickly, daily tasks require more energy, and my body no longer responds quite the way it once did.
Caregiving, of course, magnifies these shifts. It asks more of us—physically and emotionally—than we often imagined possible.
But there’s another kind of strength I’ve come to recognize. It’s quieter, less visible, and perhaps even more vital. It’s a strength I needed during my caregiving years but didn’t yet have a name for.
Emotional Endurance: The Strength That Carries Us Read More »
Real strength is often soft. It’s quiet. It doubts itself. And it keeps going anyway. Emotional endurance doesn’t always wear a cape. Sometimes, it wears sweatpants. Sometimes, it cries in the car. Sometimes, it reads the news, feels sick to the stomach—and still makes dinner. And yet—it shows up again.
Not All Strength Looks Strong Read More »
