Today is the day before tomorrow and tomorrow I am traveling back to my childhood home for a memorial for my father. He passed away 13 years ago, and every year since family and friends from the community have gathered to remember him and honor him with words of Torah—that part is my brother. He … Continue reading Why Today is Significant
Tag: grieving
Arm Circles Around the Pool: Like Father, Like Daughter
Doing arm circles around the pool today, I remembered how my dad did that after swimming laps too. I'm grateful I have so many fond memories of my dad—that he was the kind of person who lives on in others and inspires them. Losing a parent is horrible, but having the deepest of pride for … Continue reading Arm Circles Around the Pool: Like Father, Like Daughter
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
Cherished Childhood Memories
One of the first things I thought after my father passed away when I was 21, was that I had the perfect childhood. It wasn't that growing up didn't involve low self-esteem, shyness, anxiety, etc.—it did. It was just that I had this feeling of gratitude that my father didn't pass away when I was … Continue reading Cherished Childhood Memories
Father’s Day, Remembering Dad
My father passed away suddenly when I was 21. That was almost 13 years ago. Father's Day has been weird ever since. Well, every day has been weird ever since. This year though, instead of memorializing my father on Father's Day—or more commonly, ignoring Father's Day altogether—I posted something on Facebook that celebrated small things … Continue reading Father’s Day, Remembering Dad
Remembering My Father’s Recitation of the Kiddush Blessing
A few weeks ago I recited the Friday night Jewish prayer of Kiddush, sanctifying the Sabbath. My husband usually says it, but I was going to bed extra early so I said it for myself (I pass out early on weekends too ever since I became a mom and have a perpetual 6 am wake … Continue reading Remembering My Father’s Recitation of the Kiddush Blessing
TBT: The Backstory to My Story
I started writing the year after my father passed away. I had written poems and songs since I was a kid, but these writings were different. They expressed a voice inside of me that I only became introduced to after the sudden passing of my father in the Fall of 2006. I had always been … Continue reading TBT: The Backstory to My Story
Seeking Stability in Insecure Times
There are a lot of benefits to exercise: healthy weight, lower blood pressure, help prevent disease, the list goes on. Another reason I like exercising, particularly doing Pilates and yoga, is that feeling strong makes me feel confident. My strengthened core gives feedback to my brain that I am strong, capable, empowered. When my father … Continue reading Seeking Stability in Insecure Times
See You Tuesday!
Two Fridays ago, my co-workers were saying to each other, "See you Tuesday!" It was a long weekend, MLK day was the following Monday. Sometimes in life certain mundane phrases take on special meaning, and hearing, "See you tuesday!" jolted my mind into childhood memories. My dad always worked late nights—often into the wee hours … Continue reading See You Tuesday!
Mindful Nuggets 