Tag Archives: grief

Wheels

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Barbara McAfee

Today my brother and sister-in-law are picking up Mom’s car. They will clean it up and sell it in the coming weeks.  I don’t know why this is making me so tender, but it is. Mom hasn’t driven her 2001 … Continue reading →

Posted in caregiving | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Calamity Management

Posted on September 6, 2018 by Barbara McAfee

I’ve entered into a new phase of caregiving with my sweet 94-year-old mama. I’m calling it calamity management. Her memory is faltering more and more these days, so I’m trying to remember what I’m forgetting she forgot. Or something like … Continue reading →

Posted in caregiving, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Laughing and Crying

Posted on May 17, 2018 by Barbara McAfee

Like many other young women of my generation, I knew every word of Joni Mitchell’s iconic record, Court and Sparkby heart. I had some recent experiences that illuminated one particular line of her song “People’s Parties.” Photo Beauty gets attention … Continue reading →

Posted in healing, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Church of Loud Crying

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Barbara McAfee

Like many of you I recently watched TV host Jimmy Kimmel speak about his newborn son’s heart defect. I was struck by how moved many people were to see a public figure – especially a white male comedian – weep … Continue reading →

Posted in healing, self expression | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Grief at the Grocery Store

Posted on July 9, 2016 by Barbara McAfee

You know the story by now: An innocent African-American man – Philando Castile – was shot by a police officer at close range a few miles from my home. His gruesome and unnecessary death was witnessed by his beloved and … Continue reading →

Posted in philandocastile | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

Oh For Goodness Sake – Stand At My Grave and Weep Already!

Posted on February 18, 2016 by Barbara McAfee

Death has been visiting my life a lot in this past year. During those times, I have frequently heard Mary Elizabeth Frye’s well-known poem, “Do No Stand At My Grave and Weep.” This morning as I was lolling abed, I … Continue reading →

Posted in death and dying | Tagged , , , , , , | 29 Comments

A Death is Born Into Your Life

Posted on November 27, 2015 by Barbara McAfee

I sat next to R. at a community sing the other night. Her mother died several months ago and she is still in the raw grief of it all. Many of the songs called forth her tears and she looked … Continue reading →

Posted in death and dying | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments