The Body

Her hands are so smooth. The skin on her fingers like chenille to my touch. Her forehead is parchment beneath my lips when I kiss her before I leave the room. The skin on her thighs is puckered like crumpled velvet. Never have I been more aware of my mother’s...

Dressing Up Like Mom

Today, as my brother, father, and I spent the afternoon assembling a puzzle, I realized how profound Mom’s death will be for our family. Mom has always been the one to level us all out – my brother’s frustration, my dad’s depression, my...

Mom’s Books

Tonight, we are looking through Mom’s books. We are trying to find something to read at her service. Something that will make people smile. Something that is deeply true. Something that is quintessential Mom. We have scanned C.S. Lewis and Henri Nouwen. I poked...

Mom's Books

Tonight, we are looking through Mom’s books. We are trying to find something to read at her service. Something that will make people smile. Something that is deeply true. Something that is quintessential Mom. We have scanned C.S. Lewis and Henri Nouwen. I poked...

Golden Ribbon

That’s what my friend Laraine said this would be – “a very sacred time.” When I read those words, I could not really imagine what they meant. I thought being here would simply be hard and sad. And it is. But it is not simply that. It is sacred....