sustainable systems & storytelling
Yesterday, I received a call at 8am. It was my mother, calling to let me know that my aunt, Virgina, had passed. Eleven weeks ago, Virg was diagnosed with brain cancer after a fall. Eleven weeks ago, doctors said she had a few days left to live. As devout lifelong Catholic, I like to think... Continue Reading →
I walked outside and instantly squealed. Two miniature ground squirrels, each less than two inches long, peeked their tiny heads out of the expansive den outside our front door. The next day, there were eight small creatures; the day after that, twelve. The three proud mamas--Squeak, Blossom and Sprawly--are doing their best to feed thier... Continue Reading →
"It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live." — Marcus Aurelius Yesterday, we went on our evening walk and discovered a two-day old gosling that had been abandoned by it's family. After following it around for over an hour, observing a man sic his dog on... Continue Reading →
The present moment, if you think about it, is the only time there is. No matter what time it is, it is always now. -- Marianne Williamson I think that a part of us knows that we are just a doctor's visit or a phone call away from being starkly reminded of our own mortality.... Continue Reading →
My boyfriend has joked that if I were to die, he would face his own demise within three weeks. Death from a broken heart, you ask? Nope, starvation. I've joked, that if he leaves this earth before me, I'm not going anywhere, and neither is he! Several years ago, he suggested that I would probably... Continue Reading →
Lightly child, lightly. I have been repeating Aldous Huxley's words over and over in my head for days. It's become my mantra, a reminder that it's okay to lay low and go slow. Entering month five of treatment, my lab work has remained stable as my physical condition has declined. At time of posting, I'm... Continue Reading →
Spring is the season of new birth, followed closely by the child-rearing months of summer. Over the last several months, I've been watching as miniature animals pop up everywhere. The number of quail, geese, ground squirrels, night hawks, and king snakes seem to multiply as mothers give birth to the next generation. Yet, the increased... Continue Reading →
My cousin passed away twelve days after celebrating his 30th birthday, exactly one year after he was diagnosed with cancer. During those 365 days, his eyebrows fell out and his muscles melted away to reveal a wiry frame. The doctors removed his right arm--the home base--but the malignant army had already invaded every continent of... Continue Reading →
