I have dealt with grief and loss all my life, and this is a bit of my journey through it. I hope that we can talk more about it, and normalize death as an inescapable, even if cruel, part of our society and our lives. It is painful and scarring, but grief is certainly NOT an exclusive experience. Thank you for joining me.
“What a walking conundrum. A live, lively, mess of humanitarian drive and human flaws.”
Grief is when the overwhelming feeling of loss overcomes you – sweeps over you as you grasp for air and struggle to clasp what you hold dear in a tight grip – never to let go, yet fully aware of it slipping through your fingers.
There is one thing I faithfully live by, and that is my promise to feel everything, to wallow in the bad if and when needed, and to glow in the good.
Happy birthday!! You turn 81 today. 81! Can you believe it? Last time I saw you, you looked amazing. And that was only 2 years ago, so I’m guessing that you would still be pretty hot for an 81 year old. 81. I can’t get over the number, mom. I bet you would probably roll your eyes and shush me before anyone heard it…your age. Too bad it’s out and in the open now. Since you left, I’ve been thinking…
Today marks the one year anniversary of my mother’s death. What a strange phrase, what a strange feeling. Sounds contradictory: anniversary of death. A word that resonates with positive celebration, followed by cruel finality. Still, this is a milestone. A year. The first year. Reading “The Year of Magical Thinking,” I came across the author’s description of how, for that first entire year, she often asked herself what the deceased had done on that same day the year before. I…
Because it is always about MIGHTY Alba ( and her expanding universe! yay!), I’ll acknowledge that I write, and draw, and create for a couple of reasons: To somewhat keep her alive, both in the world and in my household, if that makes any sense. To get my mind off my grief. As an outlet for emotions that, otherwise, would cripple, and crush, and constantly torture me. At this point, it must be quite obvious that I think about…
It was August, 2017, when I wrote my first post. “Marney Monster’s Magical Book” had just come out, and I was trying to pull together a website, and a marketing plan to get some visibility for my work. C’mon! This was MY FIRST. BOOK. EVER! I was excited, I was thrilled, I was nervous, I was a little overwhelmed…I was proud. I had never thought of writing a picture book, let alone illustrating one! This was all new territory, and…
