Making Sense Of It All

On Being Seen Last Saturday, I participated in one of the World Childless Week webinar discussions. As in years past, I prepared for this gathering by reaching back to recall when I first discovered that I'd live a childless life. Each time I revisit the associated trauma that this realization exploded on my life, I'm reminded that even if the pain doesn't cut quite so deep, the shock and sadness lives inside me always. So why do I continue to participate in these public conversations?  Well, when I appear among our tribe and share in the mutual compassion, gentleness and strength I know that were it not for being seen and understood to the core, I would not be the whole person I am today. That includes you, readers and friends. The sustenance that flows from such an amazing group of women--both in the chat, on the Zoom screen, and in the comments feels richly validating. We truly are all in this together.  On Being Shut Down That steady support sustains on days when the re...

First, I have been absent from here far longer than I anticipated... Had a scary few days not long ago when western winds whipped up. A third wildfire this summer took hold some 20 miles due north. It tore across acres of land leading to multiple sudden evacuation orders in a densely populated area. It was unknown how fast and far this latest manic wildfire would travel -- just about the time our region's power went out. Needless to say our go-bags were packed. It was an unnerving night. When the power came back six hours later we learned the winds shifted the flames away. We were out of immediate danger but our neighbors to the north weren't so fortunate. This latest disaster seems to have awakened some reconsideration about unchecked development in wildfire prone areas, but it remains to be seen if any policies will change. The Mad Dash Now, the back half of each year since 2013 signifies a particularly maddening dash into the unknown. This is when the U.S. health insurance i...