I wrote last time about the selfishly aborted shopping trip the day before my mother fell and broke her hip. She died less than a week later. On Sunday we were told she would not survive this fall and “if people wanted to come say goodbye, now was the time.” One of my jobs was […]

My mother died five days ago at 6:15 AM. She’d fallen the week before and broken her hip. We knew the time was short and her passing was a sad relief. She died at home and pain free (thanks to morphine and the wonderful hospice caregivers). I stood on one side, my father on the […]

“Memories begin to creep forward from hidden corners of your mind. Passing disappointments. Lost chances, and lost causes. Heartbreaks and pain and desolate, horrible loneliness. Sorrows you thought long forgotten mingle with still-fresh wounds. The stone [of memories] feels heavier in your hand. [But] When you drop it … you feel lighter. As though you […]