It’s a cruel irony that the day seems so perfect. It’s 80 degrees and sunny, a light breeze cools the air, a reminder that the season is in transition. The dog days of what little summer we had are upon us and mom is quietly dying in her bed. Her room is dark and quiet and after four years of torturous invasions of cancer and the painful treatments to try to stave off the hideous cells from growing she is finally finding some release from her pain and fear. She doesn’t seem to be in pain her… Continue

When things are tough and too horrifying to deal with I like to take a vacation to my favorite state, Denial. Denial allows me the luxury of pretending that nothing bad will happen, even though all concrete evidence points in a different direction. Tears never fall in Denial, there's no "ugly" crying, there's no need, the sun is always shining. In Denial I am not required to make any decisions, I don't have to yield to the dark path of the Unknown, I can stay on course in the Comfort Lane.… Continue

In the pre-dawn hours she sits alone on a bench on the street corner, in her layers of heavy, drab clothing splotched with dirt, urine and feces she is bundled up like she is expecting an arctic blast but it is already 75 degrees outside. Her head is always down, she never looks at passers-by she just shuffles slowly to the next garbage can looking for food or something she can use to help her survive until the next day. She scours the outdoor ashtrays looking for smokable cigarette butts left… Continue

Why can't she just let past transgressions die with dignity? Does she have to hang on to every perceived slight and insult hurled her way for the last 79 years and recount them every hour every time she visits? Why does she have to be so negative all the time, why does she have to do EVERYTHING my dad wants her to do whether she wants to or not? Why does she have to be so passive-aggressive all the time?



It's okay, she has given me all she had to give, I didn't come with an owner's… Continue

I will always be your friend even when you do not feel worthy of friends.



I will always forgive you regardless of whether you can forgive yourself.



You see yourself as unworthy of love, I see you as a talented, tortured genius courageously waging war against your inner demons.



You invented rapier wit and made me laugh at things I shouldn't laugh at.



I'm glad you found fulfillment and love in your marriage, and even though you have never had children… Continue