I’ve spent a lot of time pondering if grieving during this year’s holidays is easier or harder due to COVID-19. The other day, I chatted with a widowed friend about her coworker, who lost her husband earlier this year. She said her coworker was glad and thankful that COVID-19 makes the holiday season easier. She doesn’t have to worry about Christmas parties, she isn’t faced with all the normal traditions, and nothing is expected of her because so much has already changed this

August 26 was National Dog Day, and I posted a photo of my dogs Cooper and Basta on Facebook to celebrate the day. I was particularly close with Basta and was devastated when he died in 2006. I periodically think of him and smile, but posting that photo really brought back memories. The next day, I hiked and thought of him once again. Toward the end of my hike, I passed a man wearing a T-shirt that said “Basta” across the front. I couldn’t believe it! Yes, Basta is an actual

Today I learned that COVID-19 cases are rising in many US states, and we now have 125,000+ deaths in the US (likely much higher). Somehow, COVID-19 has become a political issue even though COVID will kill regardless of political affiliation. My desire is not to discuss the politics of COVID—should economies be open, should we wear masks, etc.? Rather, as a grief book author, I think about the deaths and those left behind. For each of the 125,000 people who’ve died, there are

I’m excited to announce that I’ve been recognized as a Book Excellence Award Finalist for my book, Feeling Left Behind: Permission to Grieve, in the grief category. Out of hundreds of books entered into the Book Excellence Awards competition, they selected my book for its high-quality writing, design, and overall market appeal. Feeling Left Behind was released in 2019. I wrote the book because I felt there weren’t grief books that just allowed widows/widowers to grieve. Most