A Mother’s Day Tragedy and a Birth-Death Day Celebration

Annah ElizabethFamily, Gavin, Loss, Grief, and Healing, Parenting2 Comments

Dear Neighbor, Twenty-eight years ago, a miracle happened when a child was born. When you think about everything that must occur prior to any birth, the precise nature of so many scientific details, every delivery is miraculous. When I began writing this post, I realized that twenty-eight years ago, at the exact same hour, I was timing and logging contractions … Read More

Ask Annah: I’m Afraid My Deceased Loved One Will Be Forgotten. How Do I Prevent That?

Annah ElizabethAsk Annah, Loss, Grief, and Healing, Mental Health, RelationshipsLeave a Comment

Dearest Neighbor, This is one of the greatest fears The Living have following the death of a loved one, especially an unexpected or “untimely” death. Widows and Widowers. Loss Mamas, Papas, and Siblings. “Orphaned” children. [Insert your whatever.] We lament what will never be. “Lost time.” Things that “should be” but never will be. We have this sense of how … Read More

Ask Annah: How Do You Do It All?

Annah ElizabethAsk Annah, Loss, Grief, and Healing, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

Dearest Neighbor, Social Media Highlight Reels. Glitz. Glamour. Got-it-all-together goodness. Do these qualities exist? Sure. Do they exist all the time? For anyone? Not on your life. Comparison is one of our greatest life hurdles, which affords it a front row seat in The Five Facets Philosophy on Healing programs. This question came to me leading up to the holiday season and … Read More

Ask Annah: How Do I Apologize When So Much Time has Passed?

Annah ElizabethAsk Annah, Loss, Grief, and Healing, RelationshipsLeave a Comment

Dearest Neighbor, One of the number one stresses, concerns, and fears surrounding holidays and other celebratory events has to do with relationships. Think about all the jokes you’ve heard and possibly made about those crazy family get-togethers, the family tension, or worries about Who is going to say What. Some of the most common culprits of family rifts are miscommunication, … Read More

Ask Annah: How Do You Inspire Your Children to Do Their Chores?

Annah ElizabethAsk Annah, Family, ParentingLeave a Comment

“Encourage and support your kids because children are apt to live up to what you believe of them.” ~ Lady Bird Johnson, Former First Lady Like yours, our family always had something happening. School and school functions to meet those academic, social, and physical facet needs. Recreational sports and leisure activities to nurture those physical, social, spiritual, and emotional needs. … Read More

Homemade Happiness

Annah ElizabethFamily, Happy Happens ™, SpiritualityLeave a Comment

Happy Sunday, Journeyer!! There are three times in the last seven years that I have missed a Happy Happens column. Seven years, Journeyer! The motto has always been “Just like the proverbial shit happens, happy happens.™” This column has been an exercise in making me notice, appreciate, and honor those fleeting moments that collectively are my happiness, even in the … Read More