Recovery. Sobriety. Living Wise.
Are you familiar with the sound of silence? The pain associated with mental anguish in all its forms often feels unspeakable. I’ve come to think of mental health and mental illness as two ends of a continuum on which we all find ourselves. Our place on the continuum may shift throughout the course of our lives, and hopefully, we can become better at nurturing … Continue reading A Sober Thought on Mental Health
Suffering. What’s the Point? I have been thinking lately about suffering and why we suffer. It’s not a new question. It’s one humans have wrestled with for eons. I’ve had fibromyalgia and painful knee and back injuries for 35 years, stemming from an auto accident. I feel pain every day. But it is minor in comparison to the emotional and physical pain some of my friends endure, such as the loss of … Continue reading Suffering (by Eileen)
What are seeds of faith? I suppose the answer is different for each person, but for me, more often than not they come as small revelations in times of deep crisis when I’m grappling with forces pulling in opposite directions. For me, faith is not so much an idea but an identity, not so much about believing but becoming. Maybe an My teachers have generally been … Continue reading Finding Faith
Yet again, death has struck a member of my family — my cousin Amy, at 46. Death has visited our family all too frequently and all too early. My father died at 45, brother Steve at 59, brother Kevin at 62. We are a family of unfinished stories. Death leaves its mark when it comes unexpected and early. So many unspoken words So many unsung … Continue reading Passings and Epilogues
How did you find the key to your life’s song? A little story on how I found mine. I was blessed with an enlightened aunt, a Catholic nun with the Sisters of Charity Providence. Born Annabelle, she took the name Sister Mary Audrey. She was a wise woman, raised during the Depression in extraordinarily difficult circumstances. She learned many lessons from her life and … Continue reading Living Your Questions