"I needed, last weekend, to be in the company of strangers united in a slice of our mutual past."
Shaun Cassidy and the Weekend I Didn’t Know I Needed (Part 2)
Category: Arthritis
Grieving Our Bodies
I came to understand that my desire for my body to be something different was a form of grief.
Judgy McJudger Chooses the Carrot over the Whip
“We cannot judge ourselves into improvement. It doesn’t work.” Tara Brach Yesterday, I did something I don’t usually do, mostly because I forget it’s the better, kinder thing. I made a pact with myself that if I vacuumed the house, made the bed, and cleaned the toilet, that I would reward myself by starting a … Continue reading Judgy McJudger Chooses the Carrot over the Whip
Pain Is NOT an Identity
Physical pain is something most of us don’t like to talk about in public, or even among friends and family. I mean, seriously, who wants to be that person? Most people wouldn’t believe you anyway if you told them you hurt pretty much all the time, and it’s not easy to brace against the look … Continue reading Pain Is NOT an Identity
Laid Bare By a Questionnaire
Talking to a stranger about ourselves can (sometimes) be fun at a party or on a first date; cathartic when the stranger is receptive or being paid to listen; marginally OK/not OK standing in line at the grocery store; and downright disconcerting when the inquiry is particularly personal and your life kinda sorta depends on … Continue reading Laid Bare By a Questionnaire
There Is Always an Otherwise
It’s early afternoon, and I write this propped up in my bed, listening to it rain…again…with my little dog Zuzu curled up at my side. Next to her is my tablet, in case I want to read or watch a show; my latest journal, which has some angry entries of late; my phone; and the … Continue reading There Is Always an Otherwise
Lynn Haraldson, Author and Writing Mentor 