My husband and I began the annual task of cleaning out our garage. Despite our best efforts to minimize our accumulated possessions, we faced, yet again, stacks of used baby paraphernalia (purchased for grandchildren’s visits), old clothing, books and boxes filled with odd collections of items transferred from household shelves to the garage. I have [...]
Archive for the ‘writing for wellness’ Category
For the Week of January 29, 2012: “How It Felt to be Me”
Posted in art and writing, expressive writing, life writing, writing as a way of healing, writing for wellness, writing prompts for cancer survivors on January 29, 2012 | 4 Comments »
For the Week of January 22, 2012: The Small Islands of Sanctuary
Posted in expressive writing, healing arts, writing as a way of healing, writing for wellness, writing prompts for cancer survivors, writing to heal on January 22, 2012 | 5 Comments »
For the past week or so, I’ve been embracing solitude, honoring the need to pull back and retreat from the busyness of my past many weeks of travel, family visits and non-stop activity of the holidays. I’ve rediscovered the joy of the quiet routine that nourishes my writing life, re-created a place of sanctuary in [...]
For the Week of January 15, 2012: Lost and Found
Posted in expressive writing, healing arts, writing as a way of healing, writing for wellness, writing prompts for cancer survivors on January 15, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
“Before you know what kindness really is,” poet Naomi Shihab Nye tells us, “you must lose things…” Loss. It’s often synonymous with cancer. Loss of hair, parts of the body; loss of self-image, of dreams, or loss of loved ones. We feel overwhelmed as we face a landscape defined only by losses, hopelessness and grief. [...]
For the Week of January 8, 2011: Waiting
Posted in expressive writing, writing as a way of healing, writing for wellness, writing prompts for cancer survivors, writing to heal on January 8, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
What you do with time is what a grandmother clock does with it: strike twelve and take its time doing it. You’re the clock: time passes, you remain. And wait. (From: “Mother,” by Kurt Brown) I admit it. Waiting is something I don’t do well, whether I’m waiting in line in at airport security, for [...]
For the Week of January 1, 2012: Shaping A Life
Posted in expressive writing, healing arts, writing as a way of healing, writing for wellness, writing prompts for cancer survivors, writing to heal on January 1, 2012 | 4 Comments »
Last night the sound of celebrations echoed through our neighborhood, amplified by one of the many canyons that cut through San Diego. Fireworks, songs and shouts announced the departure of the old and the arrival of a new year, and perhaps for many, a list of well-intentioned resolutions: exercise more, lose those extra holiday pounds, [...]
For the Week of December 26, 2011: Firsts
Posted in expressive writing, life writing, writing as a way of healing, writing for wellness, writing prompts for cancer survivors on December 26, 2011 | 2 Comments »
It’s been a week of firsts: my granddaughter’s first visit to California, her first encounter with a dog, first taste of solid food, and first sunset over the Pacific Ocean. Yesterday we celebrated her first Christmas, although at only six months of age, it’s unlikely she’ll have any memories of the day, but we–her parents [...]
For the Week of December 18, 2011: Winter Lights
Posted in expressive writing, life writing, writing as a way of healing, writing for wellness, writing prompts for cancer survivors, writing to heal on December 18, 2011 | 1 Comment »
We put up our Christmas tree last night, waiting until our five month old granddaughter, Flora, arrived with her parents so that they could share in our annual holiday tradition. Long after everyone went to bed, I sat alone in the dark, staring at the colored lights and remembering dozens of Christmases past. Finally, exhausted [...]
For the Week of December 11, 2011: The Cycle of Life
Posted in expressive writing, life writing, writing as a way of healing, writing for wellness, writing prompts for cancer survivors, writing to heal on December 11, 2011 | 3 Comments »
I live in a place where the advent of winter is less noticeable than in other places I used to call “home.” The succulents that dot the slopes of our property, the silk oak and palm tree standing in our backyard, are green and unchanged in this winter season. There are buds on my bird [...]
For the Week of December 4, 2011: Forgiveness
Posted in expressive writing, healing arts, life writing, writing as a way of healing, writing for wellness, writing prompts for cancer survivors on December 4, 2011 | 9 Comments »
My parents died several years ago, and in the aftermath of their loss, the dynamics between the siblings in my family were turbulent and hurtful. Grief, which all of us experience, is complex. It sometimes emerges as anger or resentment directed at others, and in the death of a parent, with one family member striking [...]
For the Week of November 27, 2011: The Gifts of Life
Posted in expressive writing, life writing, writing as a way of healing, writing for wellness, writing prompts for cancer survivors on November 27, 2011 | 4 Comments »
This past week, I’ve been enjoying the company of my daughter and her family, exploring the island of Okinawa, where they now make their home. So much is new and unfamiliar, and I marvel as my daughter, mother of a two small children, navigates about the island, eagerly embracing its culture, language and cuisine. Yet [...]
