Poetry memories

The little things help us cope and the holy spirit connects us.

I imagined having a sibling named Daniel

Woke up thinking about how motives change.

I remembered a story today about my first husband's life that I wanted to record for MJ before I forgot. It was triggered by driving by our former work places in Fort Collins.

Mental illness runs deep on both sides of my adopted family and in my biological children's families. When I was a teenager, I was sent to a therapist for depression, but my parents never participated in suggested family therapy. In college, I studied human development and family studies and learned family systems theory. Without family participation, there would be no healing for us together. My mother's mental illness was never treated. Tragically, she suffered greatly with Lewy Body dementia until her death in 2020. My father's sudden death in 2013 was a destructive event to our tiny family unit and 15 months later my veteran son died by suicide. My oldest son has been estranged for 5 years after 2 tumultuous relationships, raising his psychological daughter by law and protecting the children he loves by marriage to his current spouse. His biological father chose suicide in 2019. His only bio child, a 25 yr old granddaughter; I have never met.

Mental Wellness is a priority for me and my husband who has been sober for 20 years. I have been in mental therapy and 12-step recovery for 20 years. If you or someone you love is experiencing a crisis please call 988 or the National Suicide Prevention Help Line at 988lifeline.org

The hardest thing we do to ourselves is to expect others we love to behave a certain way. This is a human trait.

Memorial Day 2023