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Writing About Grief
To tell you the truth, I’m not sure why two of my books have focused on grief. I can only tell you that I probably write about it because I have the utmost respect for people who are able to cope with grief well. Losing someone is so hard—unimaginable, even—especially when we love someone so much we can’t imagine them not being here with us. In Baseball Girl, Frankie loses her dad. In Inn Significant, Milly loses her husband to a fatal road accident. Both of these characters loved so deeply that the loss was, for a time, insurmountable. And yet, they both learn to carry on, never forgetting their…
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When Someone Dies
I’ll keep this post short and sweet because it’s Friday as well as Father’s Day weekend, and I don’t want to be glum or morose, but… The other day, a former student of mine passed away in an unfortunate car accident. She graduated in December. Those who knew her are saddened by her death, especially at the young age of 22. When someone passes at that age, it’s unexpected, and we have to come to terms with a loss like that. And while that in itself is difficult to grasp, it is no less sad when someone older dies. No matter what age, when we love and care about someone,…
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The Way the Rain Smells
Blessings fall from the sky. Heaven is weeping. The earth is cold and damp this morning, long tired from winter’s weather beating down upon it. The grass is mushy and slippery, and my boot slides across a patch of it and into mud. Fortunately, they are no longer my favorite boots, worn well from years of stomping the streets, the pavement. The rain smells sad, disappointed, and regretful. The sky is weeping uncontrollably, large droplets smashing against my window shield as I drive to work, causing me to put the wipers on high. I wonder who is crying, whose heart is breaking from up above, and when the tears will…
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Tears from the Heart
This past Friday night, I took my daughter to see Broadway Across America’s Phantom of the Opera in Baltimore at the Hippodrome. We were both excited for the show—she even more so than I because it was her first time seeing it. Truthfully, I’ve lost count as to how many times I’ve seen it. My daughter may not be thrilled that I’m going to divulge this type of information here on the blog, but I think it’s important to share it, especially when it’s all quite natural. And, furthermore, because she and I are so very similar. At the very end of the Phantom, something very meaningful and somewhat tragic…
