Caryn Sullivan's Blog, page 2
May 3, 2020
Special needs, extraordinary concerns
From the St. Paul Pioneer Press Opinion page, May 3, 2020 It took many years and many hands to assemble the scaffolding that provides the structure for Lucas Houk’s life. When coronavirus infiltrated our communities, the structure toppled. Like my son Jack, Lucas was diagnosed in the 1990s, when little was known about autism. His…
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April 19, 2020
Running a marathon on a tightrope
We blew our pop stand last Saturday and took a long drive to deliver Easter gifts to the grandkids – through the car window. The adults understood, but our little people surely did not. Why won’t Nana get out of the car and give me a big hug? As we drove east to west to…
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April 5, 2020
Coronavirus and the circle of life
From the St. Paul Pioneer Press Opinion Page, March 22, 2020 We may be in the midst of a global health crisis but the circle of life continues. An invisible foe, the coronavirus, is changing the way we begin life, live life, and end life. Earlier this week my family grew by one. Spring flowers…
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March 22, 2020
Choice and coronavirus
From the St. Paul Pioneer Press Opinion Page, March 22, 2020 Whenever I’m buckling in for a flight, I survey the strangers seated nearby. If the engine were to sputter or a passenger to suffer a seizure, these would be the people with whom I would navigate a crisis. That realization can be comforting –…
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February 23, 2020
A Miracle in Motion
From the St. Paul Pioneer Press Opinion Page, February 23, 2020 When news broke last month that a helicopter transporting Kobe Bryant, his teenage daughter, and seven others had crashed, I was reminded of the temporary nature of life and prompted to reflect on my own. The Bushaw family did not need such a reminder,…
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February 2, 2020
For Kate and all the other mothers like her, I offer these words …
From the St. Paul Pioneer Press Opinion Page, February 2, 2020 It was about this time, 26 years ago, that my toddler stopped talking and started moving at the speed of sound. It was the beginning of an unexpected journey marked by an unexpected discovery, shortly after his second birthday. I laid awake at night,…
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January 19, 2020
Beyond Grit: Learn, Burn and Return
From the St. Paul Pioneer Press Opinion Page, January 19, 2020 There were an awful lot of purple tears flowing last weekend. I’m referring to the aftermath of losses by the Minnesota Vikings and the Baltimore Ravens football teams, whose players and fans sport purple jerseys. Although a Vikings victory was considered a long shot,…
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December 29, 2019
‘Rowing the boat,’ young Casey O’Brien seems to have learned the secrets to living a good life
I’d never heard of Casey O’Brien until my son-in-law emailed the link to an ESPN story with a note that said, “This one hits rather close to home.” He was referring to the video of O’Brien’s speech at a Big 10 kickoff luncheon last July. I wasn’t the only one in my family to watch…
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December 22, 2019
The fortifying joy in showing up for grief
From the St. Paul Pioneer Press Opinion Page, Dec. 22, 2019 ~~~~~~~ Last month, a dilemma landed at my doorstep. Should I go? The week before Thanksgiving my sister-in-law Shari lost her father under difficult circumstances. I wanted to be there for her, my brother Steve, and their daughter, Isabel, yet I was wary of…
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December 8, 2019
Holiday Tradition – With a Twist
From the St. Paul Pioneer Press Opinion page, Dec. 8, 2019. It feels like a mad dash from Thanksgiving to Christmas and a new year. Like everyone else, I’m juggling lists and plans as we race to the finish line of 2019. My mind feels like a mosquito that darts from target to target on…
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