By Sherrie Cassel I listen to Taylor Swift’s LIFE OF A SHOW GIRL at least three times per day; it speaks to me; it speaks to me about an innocence I was not fortunate to experience in my childhood. Sixty-four years later, it’s really okay now. I’ve learned to absorb all the amazing experiences inContinue reading “Tap Dancing through the Grief Process”
Tag Archives: love
Transitional Objects
By Sherrie Cassel I’m staring at the dried, yellow flowers immortalized in clear resin and mounted on a piece of dark wood. This is a gift my son gave to me when he was just a young child. With no child support from a dead-beat biological father, money was always tight, and thrift stores wereContinue reading “Transitional Objects”
Portrait of an Old Woman as a Young Artist
By Sherrie Cassel “But I was so much older then; I’m younger than that now.” ~Bob Dylan~ In the phenomena of living things oxymorons are plentiful. The word oxymoron originated in Greece. The word means, basically, double-sided, two-edged, one side sharp, and the other side dull. Perhaps indicative of the ability to choose between twoContinue reading “Portrait of an Old Woman as a Young Artist”
One Tin Soldier
By Sherrie Cassel It’s so hard to not ruminate on the days leading up to Rikki’s death, when he was so sick and weak – and I was terrified. I try to not think about those things as the anniversary, the tenth, approaches. I just found myself doubled over in pain as a memory piercedContinue reading “One Tin Soldier”
As stone is to flint
By Sherrie Cassel As my older brother riffled through our dead mother’s belongings, I sat and waited for his assault on my mother’s last belongings to be over. Her calendar of her days, when each of her children visited or she spoke with us on the phone were priceless items I could not part withContinue reading “As stone is to flint”
On this First Day of the Year
By Sherrie Cassel On this first day of the year, I pledge to honor my emotions as they arise, the good, the bad, and the infantile. Hey, it happens. On this first day of the year, I pledge to be like Michael J. Fox and Stephen Hawking, who, despite their challenges, continue to inspire. OnContinue reading “On this First Day of the Year”
Fashionably Late
By Sherrie Cassel Racing against the clock; it’s 11:28 p.m. I know, with eight billion people in the world, there are bound to be a few wistful, woeful, and wonderful missives saying goodbye to 2025, and so, here’s mine. I can describe my year as wonky and wonderful. I finally, after what has seemed likeContinue reading “Fashionably Late”
Wrapping it up
By Sherrie Cassel 24 days from today, I will navigate the tenth anniversary of my son’s passing: it’s a biggie. I’m not making light of it, trust me; for some reason, this one hits harder than even the first two anniversaries. I believe I was numb for the first two years, and then … IContinue reading “Wrapping it up”
With no particular place to go
By Sherrie Cassel 3 a.m. musings – and I’m wide awake, ruminating on craziness, on the rollercoaster of a 63-year-old life. I’m pushing Medicare age, and, yes, I’m hoping that in the two years I have until I’m “there”, there will still be Medicare. We’ll see. Health insurance, Covered California, while not ideal, is alsoContinue reading “With no particular place to go”
We each go grieving on and on, hurrah, hurrah!
By Sherrie Cassel Hokusai Katsushika (1760–1849) Cacti close shop for the winter. Cottontails hibernate. Coyotes come into neighborhoods because their prey has gone underground. Californians hustle and bustle all year round. Southern California has two seasons: perfect and a little less than perfect. I didn’t grow up with fiery hillsides of changing leaves or monthsContinue reading “We each go grieving on and on, hurrah, hurrah!”
Grief to Gratitude 