A belated greeting to those who remember their fathers well
I have an ambivalent relationship with the parent days. I’ve lost both mine so these days forever remind me of that fact. I’m a parent too. But it’s such a…
Family
BELONGING WHILE CAREGIVING: WHERE DO WE BELONG?
Photo by Geoffroy Hauwen on Unsplash In the trenches of caregiving, we can feel very, very alone. We may never experience a sense of belonging except in that tiny world…
Musings on My Father
That rather handsome, 17-year-old young man to the left was Watts William Chadwick. My father, although he wouldn’t become that for many more years. So serious, so formal looking. A…
Remembrance Day thoughts
An article on the Global News site titled “Fewer Canadians plan to wear poppies this Remembrance Day, poll finds” made me think again about what Remembrance Day is for. The…
My Most Prized Possession
This morning I received this beautiful testament of care from a devoted daughter, Jasmin Jeevanjee. I am delighted to share her story and how her ‘Most Prized Possession’ came to…
Mining for Truth and Meaning in Caregiving and Memory
My sister Karen Thomson painted this portrait of our Mom and she titled it Partly Who She Was. Karen painted this from a photo that we took of Mom just…
Guest Post By The Girl Who Waited: I Am Not Mad As Hell, I Am Just Tired Of Your Bullshit (Redux)
I am finished. I am done. I try to stay rational, but cannot stay quiet any longer. I know some will try to dismiss me as yet another angry leftist…
Who Is Andrew Scheer? Lesson #1
I was having a conversation with a good friend that I worked with in politics (names are hidden to protect the innocent) years ago, he is still fairly plugged in…
A Letter To 16
Dear 16; I do not write this to embarrass you, or to overshare. That’s the great thing about remaining anonymous on the interwebs. I do not write this as amateur…
THE EMPTY CHAIR AT OUR CHRISTMAS TABLE
It’s funny how the threads of our lives intersect sometimes to create meaning, sometimes giving us a clearer view of what is before us, or what is missing. Our daughter…
A Time to Feel Grateful, Sometimes After Loss
My husband Jim and I are packing this morning – we’ve got an early morning flight tomorrow to Dayton, Ohio. Our daughter Natalie’s boyfriend grew up there and we’re all…
DO FAMILIES BELONG IN HEALTH CARE?
If you have ever been in the same room with your loved one and a health care professional, you’ll know that it’s disorienting. I say that because it’s like going…
National Coming Out Day 2017
It’s October 11. In the United States, at least, it’s National Coming Out Day. I know of no such celebration in Canada but we’ve been ahead of the pack inn…
What A Week
A week ago my Dad passed away from complications due to his cancer treatments. I last saw him in person 3 weeks ago on Labour Day Sunday, and he seemed…
Moose Jaw Reunion
I was in Moose Jaw for a family reunion on Sunday. My Dad was in hospital fighting off another infection, while his immunity is compromised by chemo. The rest of…