Her Unwitting Accomplices

As the automatic doors swished open, my mother began her search. The grocery store’s bakery was on our immediate right. Mom zeroed in on her target, pushing her shopping cart toward a plain woman in a peacock blue trench. To keep up, my short legs moved double time. Mom’s high heels clicked, louder and louder, […]

Secret Life of Nimu

A story of grief, healing and hope. The essay traces a woman’s trip to her hometown after the death of her husband. The traditions that aid the process of grieving and a daughter’s realization about her mother’s resilience and watching her claim herself back. “She has a pacemaker; you cannot take her through the airport […]

Crunches and Compassion: Transgender Rights and the Cisgender Community

I began referring to him privately as “The Swede.” From in between my crunches on the exercise mat, I snuck glances at his pale, chiseled face. His square jaw and high, sculpted cheekbones stood out as if his face was sketched from the pages of a superhero DC comic. I crunched. He lunged. His impossibly […]

Down Sizing for a Bigger Life

Take a moment and imagine… Imagine cutting your bills in half. Imagine making significant changes; affording yourself the opportunity for choices. Imagine clearing out the mounds of clutter in your closets, cabinets, and drawers. Imagine having a home that is well organized, appealing to each of your senses. Imagine starting new; creating a life that […]

She Took My Heart With Her That Day

Kids are hard–they drive you crazy and break your heart–whereas grandchildren make you feel great about life, and yourself, and your ability to love someone unconditionally, finally, after all these years. ―Anne Lamott, Some Assembly Required July 23, 2012 The day my life changed forever. In every way. I became a Grandma at 47. I […]