By Sherrie Cassel This morning, my husband and I were listening to John Prine, a sage intellectual with just enough hick to make him truly entertaining with his similes and his metaphors for cheatin’, heartbreak, and a good shot of whiskey. He has passed away, but he left a musical legacy behind that is rightContinue reading “Psych Meds and Other Coping Strategies”
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Twelve Stepping Baristas at Al Anon Meetings and the Fourth Step
By Sherrie Ann Cassel The coffee at Al Anon meetings is always perfect; it’s like those whose service task is making coffee for the meeting have a gift for concocting the magic elixir that keeps one awake until her voice shakes as she shares her angst about her addicted loved one. Al Anon did saveContinue reading “Twelve Stepping Baristas at Al Anon Meetings and the Fourth Step”
A Good Cry
By Sherrie Cassel We are each fortunate from time to time, even those whose lives resemble a life likened to Job in the Hebrew Bible, or perhaps Sisyphus of Greek origin, to have days when there is smooth sailing and our loads are light enough for us to catch a moment of relief from theContinue reading “A Good Cry”
Stoking the Embers
By Sherrie Cassel I held it up to my face, my left cheek, of course, because of your handedness. _____________________________________________ The round ceramic dish with your name scrawled on the bottom is _____________________________________________ shiny and green, like a cactus, no spines, just innocent little fingerprints, proof you were here. _____________________________________________ Years later we would laughContinue reading “Stoking the Embers”
Grieving Mental Health in America
By Sherrie Cassel I’m a writer tonight, not a spiritual care intern, not a psych major, but just a writer who is teetering on inappropriate characterizations of a segment of society that struggles to be noticed, other than as spectacle. There’s no other way to say it, and I’m not a clinician, so I won’tContinue reading “Grieving Mental Health in America”
Promises to Keep
By Sherrie Cassel Happy heavenly birthday? I’m not sure I even believe in heaven, but desperation to see my son again compels me to hold on tightly to my doubt – because then I can hold on to some belief, some inkling of hope that there is a place where a parent can meet herContinue reading “Promises to Keep”
Happy Heavenly Birthday, Baby Boy.
Gnarly Family Trees
by Sherrie Cassel The tree was beautiful in the fog; it was misshapen, and its branches were gnarled throughout its girth. He’d be asleep like tired children do after a day of learning about how to live in a world that is uncertain – and where parents are not always well enough to love theirContinue reading “Gnarly Family Trees”
The Fruit of the Tree
By Sherrie Cassel Education is important to me; it should be important to a country too. I’ve spent over half my life in academia, first working toward an associate degree, then a bachelor’s degree, and now a master’s degree. I nearly threw in the towel last year, among the toughest intellectually, practically, and in spiritualContinue reading “The Fruit of the Tree”
Grief to Gratitude 