Taryn R. Hutchison's Blog: The Glorious Muddle, page 3

Life Returns

Every morning, I see that more blades of grass have pushed against the hard crust of dirt overnight, casting aside the lids of their temporary coffins. Tiny buds, like goosebumps on the arms of trees, begin to blossom, turning the trees into seas of white or pink or purple. Daffodils laugh as their bright yellow […]

Why Historical Fiction Matters (at this time in history)

I love period piece movies and I’d rather read fiction any day over nonfiction. But I have many friends who turn up their noses at made-up stories. They want something serious, they say. They don’t want fluff. They want to learn something, to be provoked to think, inspired to act. Fiction can do that, I say. Especially […]

The Weight of Loss

All that remains of my father’s life is found in two cardboard boxes. Is that all his life is reduced to: two small boxes, one badly weathered over time? Today, I went to the funeral home to pick up his death certificate (cause: multiple system failure, dementia) and the newer box of the two. I […]

Look! He’s Moving Now!

Wesley Gardiner Richardson, my dad, passed peacefully from this world to his eternal home today. He was born January 10, 1933 in Philadelphia. As a child, he lived across the street from Patti Patton (my Mom) in Prospect Park, PA. The day the war ended, he flashed her signals with his flashlight from his attic […]

Finding Our Way Home

One year after my Dad started his steep decline into dementia, Mom is now repeating what he used to say, almost word for word. “Where am I? I want to go home. This isn’t my home.” The longing for home is innate within all of us. Our search for home can take our whole lives. […]

The Importance of Presence

A few weeks ago, my father spent nine days in ICU with underlying complications from a breakthrough case of Covid. When we placed him in his new home, my biggest fear was: What if he gets sick–all alone–and we can’t be present with him? Was my Dad afraid?

Happy First Birthday!

  One year ago today, November 17, I proudly held my little bundle of joy in my arms and told her I’d love her forever . . .  Well, maybe I’m not really that crazy, but it was a proud moment for me when One Degree of Freedom was born. During the long months that […]

Encouragement When It’s Needed Most

The last time I saw my dad in his new home, he asked me if I’m a teenager. I shook my head. “Do I look like I am?” He scrutinized my face. “Are you 25?” “You’re getting closer, Dad!” My dad is legally blind and he has dementia, but I still loved hearing that. 🙂

Learning to Live with Messy

I like to know where things are. People often comment that my house is clean. It’s not. I rarely clean. But I put things where they belong. When I’m overwhelmed, overworked, frustrated, or anxious, it helps me to have an organized space. Clutter makes it hard to focus and it makes me feel more stressed. […]

Lessons Learned (So Far) From Dementia

Like it or not, I enrolled in a crash course in caregiving for people with dementia when my father quickly developed vascular dementia less than a year ago, followed by my mother’s mild cognitive impairment. I’ve learned some things so far, mostly through making lots of mistakes. One thing I’m sure of, I have a […]