Raising our son & honouring his dad — I’ve had my husband’s voice in my head since he died 5.5 years ago, advising me & telling me his thoughts on situations. It’s always been a happy, comforting, helpful experience. BROCK: I’d order the caramel macchiato with an apple fritter. Actually, I should clarify: it’s not his voice I…

Finding & pursuing those sparks of connection — Last night at the pub I wrote my phone number down, to give to a man I’d just met. I wanted to add some words to give context. What words would make it okay? I was giving my number to a married man with two little kids, in front of…

Three things that blew my mind after we left the school system — When my son’s new best friend announced their family would be homeschooling in September, it was the final straw. My socially awkward kiddo had worked so hard to build that friendship. We’d already been through this in grade three. His closest friend left to homeschool and suddenly he had no…

Making space for a blended family — At the time, five months after my husband’s death, it made sense: I’d use his life insurance money to build a house for me and our young son. My dad is a retired carpenter and he led the way, designing a simple, cost-effective two-storey home. We called it my “transformer…

After living without smell or taste for six years — I haven’t been able to taste or smell anything since my son was an infant. They call it “dysgeusia” and “anosmia,” but what it means is that THIS is how I experience a rose: Isn’t it pretty? Try pressing your nose to the glass…

That time my story was butchered on a podcast — I submitted one of my stories to a small podcast this spring, and it was accepted, which meant that a volunteer performer would read my story aloud on an upcoming episode. How exciting! I was grateful for the head pat. Especially when working on big, long-term projects (my novel), it’s…

Thoughts from a widow of four years — In the three years my husband lived with cancer, and in the 46 months since he died, I’ve been curious about grief. What does “normal” grieving look like? How do different cultures and communities respond to grief? How can I explain grief to someone who hasn’t yet experienced loss, and…

Got something to say? Here’s how to get started on the road to self-expression For most of my teens and twenties, I longed to write Something Great, but as soon as I sat down with a pen and pristine notebook I stalled. The truth was that I had nothing to say, yet. Or so I thought. Now, looking back with middle-aged understanding, I know…

My son might inherit the cancer that killed his dad — It’s been three years and two months since my young husband died of kidney cancer. Yesterday, my mom-in-law called with news: a doctor has diagnosed the family with a rare genetic predisposition. They’ve suffered collapsed lungs for generations, which (we now know) is a red flag for Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome. This…