Cheryl Richardson's Blog, page 7

When grief becomes a guide

I sat in my cold tub staring at the pale blue sky, watching the wind bend branches on the trees lining the yard. I felt awake and alive, my senses fine-tuned to the sound of the rustling leaves, bluejays in the distance announcing my arrival, and the smell of a neighbor’s fireplace warming the cool morning air. Suddenly, a strong wind blew through the towering Ash tree, sending autumn leaves floating through the air like falling stars. These are the moments that soften the sadness of loss.

Last ...

A house full of memories, not things

Yesterday, I visited my Mother’s house for the first time since she passed. It was a bittersweet gathering with my six siblings, and as hard as it was to be in our family home without our Mom, it was a blessing to be together.

On the drive there, I was a little anxious about the meeting. It’s a tricky thing for seven adults to navigate a painful loss at the same time. After all, people grieve in different ways, and when in a tender state, they often have conflicting needs. But we found our way....

I have a secret…

As I sit here by the window preparing to write this blog, the sun, hidden behind clouds all morning, decides to pay a visit. Bands of light hit the keyboard and cast shadows of my fingers on the screen before me. How many words have these hands written over the years, I wonder? Who would I be without the benefit of their hard work?

I have a secret that’s helping me age well. Throughout the years, I’ve kept a daily journal to celebrate my good fortune, to better understand what has me puzzled and...

From Grief to Growth: Redefining the Aging Journey

I initially started this blog by saying that it’s been a pretty tough month, but when I stopped to consider all that’s happened in our lives, I realized it’s been a tough year. Last September, one of my closest friends who was battling cancer, started preparing for a cutting-edge treatment in January. Unfortunately, she succumbed to the disease in mid-February. On the day Ileen passed, my father-in-law went into the hospital, came home ten days later, and has been struggling ever since. Then, I ...

Another goodbye…

On Sunday, September 8th, my Mom passed away after ten long and difficult days in the hospital. My sister Michelle and her two daughters, Amanda and Justine, were beside her as she peacefully slipped into her next adventure. After a busy week of hospital stays and planning services with my siblings, the loss is finally becoming real. Although my Mom wasn’t well, her death was unexpected, and my siblings and I are finally getting a chance to breathe in the reality of this enormous loss.

My Mom w...

Wisdom from Elder Women

The traffic crawled, stopping and starting for nearly an hour, but I barely noticed. I was listening to a podcast by Julia Louis-Dreyfus called “Wiser Than Me,” and it made my long drive to and from the city feel like an inspirational adventure. The podcast boasts a series of interviews with older women about the wisdom gained from aging. I listened to conversations with activist Jane Fonda, novelist Isabel Allende, and Ruth Reichl, the former editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine.

During the prog...

What I’d miss if you were gone

I’m off to the hospital to see my Mom who’s been struggling over the last week. When I searched for an old blog to share with you, I found the perfect one.

~*~

Last night, during a family dinner, I stood by the pantry watching my loved ones from a distance. I smiled when my sister-in-law Missy let out her big, exuberant laugh. I took note of my brother Steven’s sly smile as he teased his wife, Jan. I snapped a group photo with my mind’s eye of the raucous clan before me – the gang I call my peop...

When you see something, say something

I slipped out of the hotel room, pulling the door handle behind me to ensure it was locked. My husband Michael was sound asleep and I wanted to enjoy a little breakfast before we headed home from a family wedding. Walking down the long hallway towards the lobby, I studied the carpeted floor – dark blue with little white stars. I thought about all the hotel hallways I’d seen in my years of traveling alone and felt grateful to have Michael with me.

When I entered the restaurant, I was met by a hos...

The intelligence of relief

Last Monday, I hemmed and hawed all morning long about whether or not to attend an event that night. There were people I wanted to see, and it was rainy and windy outside. I felt restless and in need of a change of scenery, and I wanted to stay dry and cozy at home. I knew I would disappoint people if I didn’t go, and I didn’t want to disappoint myself.

Back and forth, back and forth, my mind waltzed to the dance of indecision when I finally got sick of it all. Pick one, I told myself, and be do...

Challenging the voices that cling to the past

After several days of rain, the garden is bursting with new life and when the sun rises, a pollinator party begins. Now that the pots and beds are flush with flowers and herbs, there are more hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies than ever before, and it’s a joy to spend time in the middle of it all.

One of the things I love about having an herb garden is that it gives me a chance to do something I learned from the “Live to 100” Blue Zone documentary on Netflix. I make herb tea so I can drink it t...