Category Archives: emotion

An Epiphany, Mathematically Speaking

When we read sad books during times of sadness, people think we’re wallowing. Not entirely true. We wallow for about ten percent. Maybe fifteen. But more like ten.
A big thirty percent of sadness-reading is validation. It is fine to feel sad, the book says. It is normal, it says. I feel it, too, it says....

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Popularity and Validation

I’m doing a scientific study about popularity and validation, which consists of me sitting here wondering why everyone else seems to have a whole lot of friends.
Point: Husband took these gorgeous family photos and has them mounted so cool, and hung on the wall. He wonders why nobody has said anything about the display. Um,...

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Burning Bushes

When Moses was shepherding his father-in-law’s flocks, he saw a bush on fire, flaming but not being consumed. He found that a little strange. He said to himself, I’m going to take a minute and check this out. Because here’s something you don’t see every day. I wonder why the bush isn’t burnt?
Because he stopped...

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What is this feeling?

So there’s sadness. Grief. Sorrow. My sweet, wonderful, generous, laughing, picture-taking, movie-loving, wave-running, Beach Boys-listening, Elvis-adoring, milk-drinking, compliment-giving father-in-law passed away yesterday. As I held his hand in the ICU this week and listened to him breathe through the oxygen mask, I wanted that hope that his girls felt, that hope that he would pull...

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A Heartful

You know when something horrible happens to someone you love, and you’ve maybe worried that something like this might happen? You thought, maybe this is on the cards? You hoped and wondered and prayed about her being strong and courageous and true?
And then it happens, and even if (when) you’re the last one to know...

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Hospital Stay

So Friday night was the
Longest
Night I can remember.
She was miserable, and the sweet
Staff, checking, poking, squeezing, returning,
Allowed no sleep longer than moments.
IV stings, head aches, tears come.
“You can sleep, Mom.”
Right. Sure.
Beeping. Humming. Dripping.
Calling. Measuring.
Saturday, the family together
Tender, watching,
Hands raised to help, to comfort, to Be There.
Cheering for Olympic Arialists.
Hoping she’ll eat something. Drink something.
She tries.
Doesn’t...

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Itchy?

You know that feeling where you’re itchy in your own skin? Where you have some huge stretch inside and you can’t get it out? Where everything is fine, but you still feel just a little… off?

I’m here to tell you that cleaning the house doesn’t fix it.

Staring at the computer because you don’t have any...

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My Little Life in Bullets

Today is The Day!
(*) I have a few hours of getting-ready time, and then I spend the day on airplanes. And read books. And end up on Oahu. I must let it escape: WHEE! WOOT! WAHOO!

(*) In other news, Kid 2 received an iPod for Christmas, because her Daddy is good to her. She named...

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