Mary DeTurris Poust's Blog, page 53

Lab School, writing, and discovering one true thing

I rarely get to talk about writing. Mostly when I go out and give workshops or seminars, they’re focused on one of my books or on the topic of spirituality in general. But this time I was invited to give a writing seminar — actually four identical seminars — to the students of Bethlehem Lab School, who were on their annual retreat at Silver Bay YMCA.

I’ll admit I was a little nervous going in. I figured a writing seminar was the last place most of these teens would want to be, especially when the beautiful weather and beautiful surroundings were calling to them from just outside our door. And, honestly, how could I compete with yoga class or archery?

But that was worry for nothing. Lab School kids are a breed apart, and even after two years of seeing it up close, sometimes I still forget that. Their style of learning, their close-knit community, their core team of teachers who go above and way beyond the call of duty make them especially receptive and respectful and open to whatever is put in front of them.

So my sessions were tons of fun, and every one was slightly different depending on the dynamics of that particular group. When I gave them a choice of topics and told them to pick one, write for ten minutes, and never let their hand stop moving, they did it willingly, some downright enthusiastically.

I was thrilled to see kids sprawled on the floor of the cabin, sitting on rockers on the front porch, leaning against a wall, and writing and writing and writing. At each of my four sessions, I actually felt bad telling them their time was up because all of them were still going. Of course, I didn’t know what they were writing. It could have been — as I told them they could do if they ran out of things to say — how much they wanted to be anywhere but in that seminar. But I trusted that most of them found a memory, a thought, a story, a description that captured their attention and poured out on the page.

A few kids told me they really liked the seminar; one stopped me in the dining room to thank me and tell me he wanted to be a sports writer. I figured that would be as good as it got. Then I went back to the cabin to prepare for my last session and found a couple of loose leaf pages filled with writing just sitting on a table. At first I wasn’t going to read it because it felt like prying, but then I figured, if a student left it, he or she probably didn’t care much if someone else read it. And I’m so glad I did.

It started out simple enough, a few thoughts about swimming jotted down on paper because it was required, but then about two-thirds down the page came the line — the “one true sentence” I asked them to try to write (based on something Ernest Hemingway wrote in “A Moveable Feast”). It was beautiful, I mean, really beautiful. I stopped and smiled and knew right then that this one scrap of paper was proof that the writing seminar was worth something and that this annual Lab School retreat is a great way to give kids a chance to try something they might never try otherwise, whether it’s writing or yoga or learning about Lyme disease or trying their hand at archery.

And you know what? These kids have inspired me to break out my own spiral notebook and start writing again just for the joy of it, with no destination in mind, no deadline to meet, no particular subject to cover. Thanks to them I have learned again that all I need to do is write one true thing, the truest sentence I know.

Thank you, Lab School. I am honored to be part of your amazing community.

 

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‘You were not meant for crawling…’

Feeling the need for a little Rumi today. Here you go…

You were born with potential

You were born with goodness and trust

You were born with ideals and dreams

You were born with greatness

You were born with wings

You are not meant for crawling, so don’t.

You have wings

Learn to use them, and FLY.

~Rumi

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Become the change…Our Brownies show you how

I am so proud of our little Brownie troop. We started out this year on a Girl Scout “Journey,” one that required us to tell our story — and to change the end of someone else’s story, or at least make the story better for them. After going through a series of ideas, everything from book drives to food drives, our girls voted to make Mother’s Day gift bags for the almost-two dozen teenage mothers who live at Albany residences run by Community Maternity Services, an agency of Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany.

Our little project grew and grew. The girls made fleece blankets for the babies, they made beaded bracelets for the moms, they made posters and set up a collection playpen at various locations — Elsmere Elementary School, Tri-Village Nursery School, Twist and Flip gymnastics, and Historic St. Mary’s Church in Albany. And the donations came pouring it. On Monday we made 23 gift bags, complete with diapers, shampoo, wipes, outfits, bibs, onesies, socks, blankets, bracelets and more. And we have loads of donations that couldn’t even fit in the bags. It was amazing to see. 

Even if the girls can’t yet fully understand the depth of the struggles and poverty the teens moms face, they do understand that they have been able to make a difference, and that’s a pretty big deal. I’m hoping our girls will remember for years to come that if they put their minds to something and involve the community, they can, in fact, change the story for someone else.

Congratulations, Troop 1308, I am so proud to call myself your co-leader. And thank you to everyone who added to our collection. St. Mary’s in Albany will continue the collection through next weekend, so if you’re in the area and want to help, you’ll find our playpen set up there. And if you’d like to support Community Maternity Services directly, click HERE and find out what you can do. It’s a great organization, helping pregnant teens, teenage moms, and children slipping through the cracks of the foster system.

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Stop in for a bite at “Catholic Mom’s Cafe”

Two blog tour stops in one week. I’m honored to know so many amazing Catholic writers and to have the chance to host their tours along the way. Today’s featured author is Donna-Marie Cooper O’Boyle, who probably needs no introduction, but I’ll go ahead anyway. Donna is the author of so many books I can’t list them all here. She’s also a blogger, a public speaker, a retreat leader, and a TV host for EWTN, most recently of the upcoming five-part television series “Catholic Mom’s Cafe,” in conjunction with her new book, Catholic Mom’s Cafe: 5-Minute Retreats for Every Day of the Year (Our Sunday Visitor).

This book immediately struck a chord with me because I, too, have struggled with finding even five minutes in my busy day for prayer. In fact, that struggle led to my own book on praying in daily life, Everyday Divine: A Catholic Guide to Active Spirituality. So when I heard that Donna was writing a book giving people some structured practices for five minutes of prayer each day, I was totally on board. I am constantly encouraging, cajoling, begging people at my workshops and retreats, on radio and in print to take “just five minutes a day.” It doesn’t sound like much, but what a difference those five minutes can make.

Catholic Mom’s Cafe is a 365-day devotional that includes daily reflections highlighting the virtues of faith, hope, and love. Everything you need for your five minutes of prayer is right there. No work required on your part. You’ll get a Scripture quote, a brief meditation, a prayer related to the day’s theme, and a “sound bite” to keep with you throughout the day.

So pull up a chair at Catholic Mom’s Cafe and be nourished by a daily dose of spiritual comfort.

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25 random things about me, as if you asked

This is “25 Random Things,” a Facebook meme that was circling around back when I first joined Facebook. It was kind of fun to do, so I thought I’d share it again here. What would be on your list of 25 Random Things? Feel free to share some in the comment section. (I’ve updated ages and dates on this list in parens since it was done almost five years ago.)

Here you go:

The point of “25 Random Things” is to write down 25 things about yourself that might surprise or interest your friends and acquaintances. I received two “tags” and just said, No way! Then I started reading lists that were being posted, and I gotta tell ya, I was impressed and inspired and just generally uplifted by what I read. Most lists are combinations of serious insights and funny asides. All of them were so worth reading. Mine cannot come close to many of the others I’ve read so far, but in case you’re not in my Facebook network, here is my list of 25 Random Things:

1. I am fully aware that there are very few people who would want to read 25 random things about me.

2. I read magazines from the back. Don’t know why. But every time I get a magazine, I flip it over, open the back cover and begin.

3. I lived in Austin, Texas, two different times, in the 80s and again in the 90s. Very different experiences, but both were great. Sometimes I just miss being in Austin.

4. But, when I lived in Austin, I just missed being in New York. I think that no matter where I lived I would miss New York.

5. One of the reasons I missed NY is because I absolutely, positively love the fall. I love the smell of the air when it turns crispy. I love apple picking. I love the changing leaves, especially now with mountains all around us. I love wearing a big sweater. I even love the end of fall when the trees are almost bare. There is something so powerful and peaceful about the landscape.

6. In keeping with my love of fall, one of my only “vices,” if we can call it that, is a penchant for nice coats, particularly leather coats. I have a kick-butt distressed leather coat and an awesome hand-stitched suede coat that I adore. I even have the black leather fringed jacket I bought in college. I will hand it down like a family Bible.

7. I am contradictory. Case in point, I love suede and leather coats, and, yet, I am a vegetarian. I eschew meat mainly for health reasons, although I can see my 8-year-old (almost 13-year-old) daughter’s point about not hurting animals. (She’s a vegetarian too.) Can’t give up the coats. At least not yet.

8. I have a love-hate relationship with camping. Part of me desperately wants to be a real camper, and the other part of me has flashbacks to that Girl Scout camping trip where our tent was raided and I had to cook French toast on a coffee can. Perhaps PTSD counseling would help.

9. I love, love, love the fact that I get to do my job from home with my kids around, even though they often make it very difficult for me to do my job. Still, I wouldn’t trade this for anything. I get up, get my coffee, putter down to my basement office and hit the keys. I hope to never, ever, ever work in an office again.

10. I can talk, and I mean, TALK. Most of you probably know that though. Sometimes I wish I didn’t talk so much, but it’s who I am. Can’t help it. I’ve been talking a blue streak for 46 years (50), and I don’t think I’m going to stop any time soon. Just don’t ask me about a book or a movie if you have any intention of reading or seeing it.

11. I gave birth to all three of my children naturally and without any anesthesia, not even so much as an Advil. I am very proud of that, and I loved it. Some people question the sanity of those of us who choose this, but feeling the pain is a mighty and powerful thing.

12. And I nursed all three of those babies, even when it was difficult and I thought I might give up. I’m so glad I didn’t.

13. My mother died of colon cancer when she was only 47 and I was 25. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever faced. She was a great woman and my best friend.

14. Because my mother died of colon cancer, I am a huge proponent of getting regular colonscopies beginning as early as you can. For obvious reasons, I believe that fifty is too late even for those with no family history.

15. If I was fearless, I would drive a motorcycle — Harley only.

16. And I would hang glide.

17. But I am not fearless, although I try to face my fears head on. I have an Eleanor Roosevelt quote hanging near my desk that says, “Do one thing every day that scares you.”

18. I am on a spiritual quest. I have always had a deep need for God in my life. Now, however, as I get older, that need is getting stronger. I feel as though I am on an incredible journey, and I am being pulled along to a deeper place, despite my fears and doubts and confusion. It’s pretty amazing, actually.

19. Despite the fact that I love to talk, I find that more and more I crave silence. I went on my first silent retreat this fall (four years ago) and fell in love with quiet. I’m trying to build some silent times into my not-so-silent life.

20. I was the manager of a yoga center in Austin for a while and was halfway through training to become a yoga instructor when I up and moved back to NY.

21. I am curious and want to keep trying new things even as I get older — like when I took belly dancing last year. Very fun. I want to learn to speak Italian and to ride a horse.

22. I desperately want to go to Italy for many reasons, the first being that my grandfather DeTurris was born in Massa Lubrense and I am very proud of that fact. But I also want to go because I work for the Catholic Church and feel like it’s crazy I haven’t been there yet, and because I feel drawn to Assisi. (Made it to Italy almost three years ago. Hope to go back within a few years.)

23. I have worked for the Catholic Church for 25 (now 29) years, something I consider a vocation more than a job.

24. Sometimes I feel like I’m living in the movie Groundhog’s Day. Every morning, without fail, I stand at the front door and yell to my children as they attempt to leave the house without lunch boxes, without hats, without instruments, without backpacks, sometimes even without shoes. I may talk a lot, but, clearly, no one is listening.

25. I am sarcastic, and I enjoy other people who are sarcastic because I can bust their chops and they don’t take me seriously.

The post 25 random things about me, as if you asked appeared first on Not Strictly Spiritual.

Foodie Friday: Wait. What? How about this instead?

Foodie Friday? Well, that sort of snuck up on me. How can it be Friday? Please tell me it’s not Friday. I’ve got company arriving tomorrow and a big family Confirmation/First Communion party here on Sunday. There is just no way it can be Friday. You should be realizing at this point that all this waxing hysterical means I have no new recipe for you. But when I was searching my own blog for something to re-run, I found this fun post instead.

This is “25 Random Things,” a Facebook meme that was circling around back when I first joined Facebook. It was kind of fun to do, so I thought I’d share it again here. What would be on your list of 25 Random Things? Feel free to share some in the comment section. (I’ve updated ages and dates on this list in parens since it was done almost five years ago.)

Here you go:

The point of “25 Random Things” is to write down 25 things about yourself that might surprise or interest your friends and acquaintances. I received two “tags” and just said, No way! Then I started reading lists that were being posted, and I gotta tell ya, I was impressed and inspired and just generally uplifted by what I read. Most lists are combinations of serious insights and funny asides. All of them were so worth reading. Mine cannot come close to many of the others I’ve read so far, but in case you’re not in my Facebook network, here is my list of 25 Random Things:

1. I am fully aware that there are very few people who would want to read 25 random things about me.

2. I read magazines from the back. Don’t know why. But every time I get a magazine, I flip it over, open the back cover and begin.

3. I lived in Austin, Texas, two different times, in the 80s and again in the 90s. Very different experiences, but both were great. Sometimes I just miss being in Austin.

4. But, when I lived in Austin, I just missed being in New York. I think that no matter where I lived I would miss New York.

5. One of the reasons I missed NY is because I absolutely, positively love the fall. I love the smell of the air when it turns crispy. I love apple picking. I love the changing leaves, especially now with mountains all around us. I love wearing a big sweater. I even love the end of fall when the trees are almost bare. There is something so powerful and peaceful about the landscape.

6. In keeping with my love of fall, one of my only “vices,” if we can call it that, is a penchant for nice coats, particularly leather coats. I have a kick-butt distressed leather coat and an awesome hand-stitched suede coat that I adore. I even have the black leather fringed jacket I bought in college. I will hand it down like a family Bible.

7. I am contradictory. Case in point, I love suede and leather coats, and, yet, I am a vegetarian. I eschew meat mainly for health reasons, although I can see my 8-year-old (almost 13-year-old) daughter’s point about not hurting animals. (She’s a vegetarian too.) Can’t give up the coats. At least not yet.

8. I have a love-hate relationship with camping. Part of me desperately wants to be a real camper, and the other part of me has flashbacks to that Girl Scout camping trip where our tent was raided and I had to cook French toast on a coffee can. Perhaps PTSD counseling would help.

9. I love, love, love the fact that I get to do my job from home with my kids around, even though they often make it very difficult for me to do my job. Still, I wouldn’t trade this for anything. I get up, get my coffee, putter down to my basement office and hit the keys. I hope to never, ever, ever work in an office again.

10. I can talk, and I mean, TALK. Most of you probably know that though. Sometimes I wish I didn’t talk so much, but it’s who I am. Can’t help it. I’ve been talking a blue streak for 46 years (50), and I don’t think I’m going to stop any time soon. Just don’t ask me about a book or a movie if you have any intention of reading or seeing it.

11. I gave birth to all three of my children naturally and without any anesthesia, not even so much as an Advil. I am very proud of that, and I loved it. Some people question the sanity of those of us who choose this, but feeling the pain is a mighty and powerful thing.

12. And I nursed all three of those babies, even when it was difficult and I thought I might give up. I’m so glad I didn’t.

13. My mother died of colon cancer when she was only 47 and I was 25. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever faced. She was a great woman and my best friend.

14. Because my mother died of colon cancer, I am a huge proponent of getting regular colonscopies beginning as early as you can. For obvious reasons, I believe that fifty is too late even for those with no family history.

15. If I was fearless, I would drive a motorcycle — Harley only.

16. And I would hang glide.

17. But I am not fearless, although I try to face my fears head on. I have an Eleanor Roosevelt quote hanging near my desk that says, “Do one thing every day that scares you.”

18. I am on a spiritual quest. I have always had a deep need for God in my life. Now, however, as I get older, that need is getting stronger. I feel as though I am on an incredible journey, and I am being pulled along to a deeper place, despite my fears and doubts and confusion. It’s pretty amazing, actually.

19. Despite the fact that I love to talk, I find that more and more I crave silence. I went on my first silent retreat this fall (four years ago) and fell in love with quiet. I’m trying to build some silent times into my not-so-silent life.

20. I was the manager of a yoga center in Austin for a while and was halfway through training to become a yoga instructor when I up and moved back to NY.

21. I am curious and want to keep trying new things even as I get older — like when I took belly dancing last year. Very fun. I want to learn to speak Italian and to ride a horse.

22. I desperately want to go to Italy for many reasons, the first being that my grandfather DeTurris was born in Massa Lubrense and I am very proud of that fact. But I also want to go because I work for the Catholic Church and feel like it’s crazy I haven’t been there yet, and because I feel drawn to Assisi. (Made it to Italy almost three years ago. Hope to go back within a few years.)

23. I have worked for the Catholic Church for 25 (now 29) years, something I consider a vocation more than a job.

24. Sometimes I feel like I’m living in the movie Groundhog’s Day. Every morning, without fail, I stand at the front door and yell to my children as they attempt to leave the house without lunch boxes, without hats, without instruments, without backpacks, sometimes even without shoes. I may talk a lot, but, clearly, no one is listening.

25. I am sarcastic, and I enjoy other people who are sarcastic because I can bust their chops and they don’t take me seriously.

The post Foodie Friday: Wait. What? How about this instead? appeared first on Not Strictly Spiritual.

Marge Fenelon on motherhood and “Imitating Mary”

Today I’m honored to be hosting Marge Fenelon and her blog tour for Imitating Mary: Ten Marian Virtues for the Modern Mom (Ave Marie Press). We’ve got a great interview with Marge here, and as if that’s not exciting enough, there’s a book giveaway involved. Just leave a comment on this post, and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Imitating Mary. I’ll choose a winner at random when the tour ends on May 1.

I had the opportunity to get a sneak peek of this insightful and inspiring book when I was asked to “blurb” it. This is what I send at the time:

“So often we look to Mary as a prayerful companion but gloss over the very real fact that she was a mother who knew all the joys and struggles of raising a child. Marge Fenelon, in her beautiful book Imitating Mary, invites us to experience our moments of motherhood through the prism of our Blessed Mother’s life.”

Marge took the time to answer some of my questions about her hopes for this book, how it came together, and why it’s good for mothers of every age. Read on…

NSS: If you had to boil it down to a line or two, what do you hope mothers take away from this new book?

Marge: I hope mothers receive two things from Imitating Mary. First, I hope they receive the gift of a genuine, and ever deepening relationship with Mary as a real, tangible woman who is Mother, companion, and confidante to them. Second, I hope they receive the gift of encouragement, support, and sustenance for their own motherhood.

NSS: I think we often assume books for mothers are focused on moms in the throes of raising younger children. And yet, as a mom of a 16-year-old, I know full well that this mothering thing never ends; it just changes. Can you talk about the ways older moms, even moms of children already living their own adult lives, can benefit from the book and from this companionship with the Blessed Mother?

Marge: Talk about it? I’m living it!! As our kids get older (and, alas, ourselves along with them), the principles, practical advice, and wisdom in Imitating Mary become more and more valuable. That’s because the book is about getting to know Mary and through our relationship with her, increasing in our own virtue. What mom (or grandma) do you know who ever knows everything there is to know about Mary? What mom (or grandma) do you know who has reached a point of virtue that can’t be increased? Truthfully, I find that, as each year passes, I rely more heavily on Mary’s example and help for my mothering because each phase of motherhood brings new and different challenges (and blessings, of course!).

NSS: How did you choose the ten events from Mary’s life as focus points?

Marge: I think they chose me. Very early in the book’s development, I came to the realization that Imitating Mary could not be about what I wanted readers to know about her, but rather what Mary wanted readers to know about her. And, so, I prayed before and after each work session, asking Mary to lead the way. I started at the beginning of the New Testament and slowly worked my way through, meditating on the lives of Jesus and Mary and searching for clues about what Mary was like, how she lived, what she dealt with, what she contributed to the people around her… From there the Blessed Mother surfaced in my heart the ten scenes that needed to be included. Once I had those, I researched to fill in the historical, cultural, and geographical details that weren’t immediately obvious in Scripture. The ten virtues, then, evolved from out of the scenes.

 NSS: Although I’ve always had a special connection to Mary (the whole name thing), I didn’t really connect with Mary in a real and practical way until I became a mother and started to focus on Mary as a mother as opposed to only as Mother of God. Earlier in my life, “imitating Mary” seemed too overwhelming, too impossible. It wasn’t until I was dealing with some of the struggles and joys of motherhood that the idea that I could imitate Mary in more practical ways became possible in my mind. So… how is this combination — saintly woman and real-life mother — something that can help mothers on a day-to-day basis?

Marge: First, Mary is real. She isn’t a statue; she isn’t a mythological goddess. She is a real person who lived a real life in a real world. And did I mention that she was and still is a real woman? She loved a husband (and lost a husband), changed diapers, soothed bumps and bruises, cooked supper, did the laundry, worried about where her Son was at and what He was up to, and watched Him grow up and out of the house just as mothers today do for and with their own children. Sure, she was born without original sin, and sure, Jesus was God, but the human conditions, emotions and concerns they experienced are the same or very similar. Now, take that woman who understands our struggles and joys because she’s lived them herself and add to her the astounding gift of intercessory “powers” and distribution of God’s grace, and you’ve got the best mother’s helper there ever could be!

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A little honesty from the back row of yoga class

I returned to yoga class this week after a long hiatus, and while it was sooooo good to be back on my mat, it wasn’t without its challenges. But probably not the challenges you would expect. When it comes to my Y-based yoga classes, my struggles have less to do with balancing and strength poses and more to do with other people. I know, that’s probably not something I’m supposed to admit when I’m trying to reach some higher level of spiritual development, but I think a little honesty is a more direct route to that spiritual place than total denial and the inner wailing and gnashing of teeth. If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, I guarantee you know what I mean. Hear me out…

The other night, for example, as we neared the last few minutes of class and prepared for savasana (corpse pose) and a little meditation and relaxation, the teacher specifically asked that anyone who might be leaving early or needing to move around do it BEFORE the meditation began. She asked that any jangling keys or ripping velcro be fastened and clipped and silenced so the rest of the class could enter more deeply into the stillness. As I laid there with my eyes closed, focusing on my breathing, I could hear — about two mats away — a non-stop stream of exactly the noises the teacher had asked everyone to avoid. I could hear keys jingling and jangling for who knows what reason. I could hear the same person opening and closing some sort of Velcro fastener. I could hear someone milling about, and someone else saying, “Shhhh!” over and over, which was almost as annoying as the jangling keys.

All through this, I was on my mat attempting to relax and enter into meditation but really focusing all of my energy on the noise and the fact that no one seems to be able to be still and shut up anymore. Yes, I was in yoga class thinking, “Shut up, just shut up.” Which is really not what you’re supposed to be doing with your energy when you’re in a yoga class.

Fast forward to this morning’s 5:45 a.m. class. I found my usual spot in the back row, over near the corner, and settled in. The lights went out and the teacher asked us to lie on our backs, close our eyes, and focus on our breathing. (In those early morning classes, the meditative part often starts the class rather than end it.) Anyway, I was breathing and focusing when along came a latecomer, rolling out her mat, kicking off her shoes, and jangling around just a foot or so from my head. Sigh. And not the good kind of sigh.

She then proceeded to cough and sniffle and blow her nose and struggle for air for an hour. What was running through my mind was not “Om” or “Shanti” but “Really?” and “Are you kidding me?” and some other unprintable but colorful silent thoughts. When I should have been focused on keeping my Tree pose upright or my Warrior pose strong, I was focused instead on how quickly I could get home and get a shot of Vitamin C to ward off whatever was making this person so miserable. The most positive thought I could muster was the slim chance that it was allergies, despite the 35 degree temperatures outside.

As I felt annoyance and a teensy bit of anger rolling around in my head while I moved from pose to pose, I was confronted with the uncomfortable reality that maybe, just maybe, the lessons I’m supposed to taking from yoga are not necessarily about whether to face my palm up or down or tuck my chin on specific poses but about how to accept what’s going on around me and let it go without frustration, without feeling put out, without feeling as if my right to a spot on that floor outweighs my sniffling neighbor’s right to be on that floor.

This is the real work of yoga, as any yogi will tell you. Everyone else thinks it’s about the poses and what’s happening on your mat, but it’s really about the interior movement and what’s happening in your heart. The poses just help you become still enough to realize that. Although if we could all put our keys and Velcro away for one hour, it would really help. Power to the Om.

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You are beautiful and beloved. Do you believe that?

Too many people — women, men, adults, children — simply don’t feel they’re good enough. Whether it’s about physical appearance, financial health, or social circles, we often focus on what we see as our flaws and weaknesses and measure ourselves against some unrealistic ideal or a mirage of our own making. In this episode of Guided by Grace, my co-hosts and I tackle the issues of self-esteem, self-image, and how to reach a place of joyful self-acceptance.

Check out this episode, featuring a phone interview with Leah Darrow, a former contestant on America’s Next Top Model. Later in the show, during our book segment, we cover two books that address these same issues: Cravings: A Catholic Wrestles with Food, Self-Image and God, and Weightless: Making Peace with Your Body.

Here’s the episode:

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Celebrating the life and love of my first best friend

Earlier this week I wrote about missing my mother, who died 25 years ago today at the age of 47. Today I would like to celebrate her life with a few old photos. I realized, as I pulled photos for this, that I have lots of photos from my earliest days with my mother and a few from the end, but hardly anything in between. I’ll try to remember that the next time I want to avoid being in a photo with my kids because I don’t think I look good enough.

Here is my mother, who was beautiful inside and out. I couldn’t have asked for a better mother or a better friend. She really and truly was my very best friend at the time she died. It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since I’ve seen her, hugged her, talked with her for hours on end. I still miss you and love you, Mom.

My mother and father with me on the day of my baptism.

My mother on her first wedding anniversary.

My first St. Patrick’s Day with mom.

Celebrating my first birthday.

I know this is a little cut off, but I just love the way she looks here.

Fast forward to a CYO Queen’s Dance when I was a senior in high school. She was our CYO advisor.

With my dad and family on her 25th wedding anniversary, only only a couple of years before her death.

 

One of the last photos before my mother was diagnosed with colon cancer.

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