I had a dream last night which featured characters from my current life in Atlanta merged with those from my childhood. The Atlanta doctor who delivered my daughter 4 years ago had a house that was a remodeled version of a notable landmark on my childhood bus route in Westchester, NY. There was a last-minute … Continue reading When Past and Present Collide
Tag: grief
Religion is an Opiate?
Some people find shelter in religion. A place of safety from the big bad world. Comfort from the chaos. But I find it suffocating. To different degrees, at different points in my life. In the beginning, I didn't even realize consciously how difficult it made my life. One could say, I would have struggled with … Continue reading Religion is an Opiate?
15 Years Ago Today, My Dad
My dad died 15 years ago today. 5 days prior was when I got the call from my mom that he was taken to the Neuro-ICU and the following day, instead of taking my bio midterm I was in the hospital with family discussing how my father had suddenly lost consciousness and incurred a brain … Continue reading 15 Years Ago Today, My Dad
If-Only Child
My uncle told me yesterday that after you have a child, your love for everyone else pales in comparison. His first, and, at the time, only child was taken by a freak volcano accident 21 years ago. I always listen astutely to his thoughts on life, knowing how much wisdom (and, unfortunately, pain) my uncle … Continue reading If-Only Child
Processing Trauma and Tragedy
The week that I started 10th grade my cousin passed away. I still remember the final phone call I had with her. It was a 3-way call with my grandparents and my cousin, who was 6 years my junior (on the one hand she was like a younger sister to me, sleeping in my room … Continue reading Processing Trauma and Tragedy
My Dad’s Office: Part Three
My new job is in a different state, let alone a different institution. But memories of my father's office have become more vivid in the forefront of my mind ever since I began my new dietitian/diabetes educator position 5 weeks ago. There are aspects of this job that remind me of my father even more, … Continue reading My Dad’s Office: Part Three
My Dad’s Office: Part Two
In my previous post, I mentioned my dad's hours were usually 3pm till midnight or later. There was one day, however, when he had morning hours. That was on Mondays. He would go to Einstein Medical School to teach medical residents in the allergy clinic. He was an adjunct professor for 30+ years and then in … Continue reading My Dad’s Office: Part Two
My Dad’s Office
If there were a way that I could put my memories of my dad’s allergy office in a chip and insert them into your brain, I would do that. But I can’t. (Nor would I want to perform such an invasive procedure on you!...) So I am left to write about it; to paint a … Continue reading My Dad’s Office
The Five Stages of Grief and Their Relevance to Today
When my father passed away 13 years ago, I entered a period of mourning. Lifelong, in fact, with ebbs and flows. I had learned about the five stages of grief by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross in psychology class, but experiencing it for myself was a totally different ballgame. I started off for a year or so in … Continue reading The Five Stages of Grief and Their Relevance to Today
August 23, 2000: My Flashbulb Memory
August 23, 2000 was a very weird day. It was horrible actually. But the way it became horrible was weird. A flashbulb memory is when you remember something so accurately, even years later, because it was so shocking. Kennedy's assassination is an example often used. 9/11 is another. Well this memory isn't national, rather related … Continue reading August 23, 2000: My Flashbulb Memory
Mindful Nuggets 