Reflections on my life as a daughter, wife, stepmother, friend, employee, and coach; then starting over at age 60 after an abusive relationship.
By now you may have heard of the controversy over John Legend’s new version of ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’. You may not know, however, that last year CBC and other radio stations in Canada as well as some U.S. stations actually banned the original song citing the uproar over its interpretation as a precursor to …
Continue reading “Baby It’s Cold Outside Controversy – Let It Go”
If you have not been in an abusive relationship, you might wonder, “Why do women stay with abusive men?” Ten years ago abuse against women was not even on my radar. It was not something discussed or ever mentioned in my social circles. Now, I know not only does it exist, but it is a …
For most of my life, I thought grief was connected solely to death: how one feels after the loss of a loved one. It was not until I visited a psychiatrist when I was 60 years old that I understood grief is a reaction to loss which doesn’t necessarily include death. I sought the advice …
Realizing your parent or any loved one may have dementia is a tough one. I live with the regretful feeling that I should have recognized it sooner. At the time I was absorbed with my own life drama, but that’s no excuse. My hope is that what I learned as a daughter, observer and eventual …
Continue reading “Remembering Mom Part 3 – How to Help Your Dementia Loved One”
Epiphany: “Oh, my God, I am an abused woman… I have been an abused woman for years.”
In the first part of this blog “On Being Positive” from June 17, 2019, I said I had no formal training regarding how to be positive. Rethinking the topic I realize I actually have and I’d like to share my source with you: Dr. Edward de Bono https://www.edwddebono.com/ Renowned psychologist and consultant, Dr. de Bono …
In the summer of 2013 I decided to take an apartment with my mother because I had noticed that she was forgetting simple things like where she put her cheque book, or whether she’d paid the cable bill. I wanted to spend some time with her so I could observe her behaviour and decide if …
Continue reading “Remembering Mom Part 2 – The More Serious Side of Dementia”
I have always viewed being a grandparent as a gift. You see, I never had my own children. I always wanted children. In my teens, I would make lists of baby names. In my mid twenties, I tried desperately to get pregnant. Throughout my thirties, the longing for my own was so strong that I …
Statistics indicate that abused women are in danger even after they leave their abuser.
We all have our “baggage”, events in our life, typically ones that had a negative impact, which we carry with us. These are the things we ruminate about as we’re falling asleep. Some of us carry these issues for days, weeks, even our lifetime. I learned about “baggage” on a job in my youth. I …
Hindsight: My Journey