Dealing with Grief and Fears

On a recent brisk walk with my husband, I fell face forward on the pavement. Nothing tripped me or could be blamed for this fall, but I went down. My hands and hip took the brunt of the fall, but thankfully nothing was broken or seriously hurt…

There are many things I thought I’d be doing at 62 – though one of them was not living to be 62. No, there wasn’t a family illness or a death wish involved; I just couldn’t comprehend, at 30, what I’d be doing at twice that age.

Those of you in your 60s may not think about dying all that much. It feels a long way away – unless you have some life-threatening disease or are closely involved with someone who does.

It’s the kind of thought we easily put away for another…

As we age, we are more exposed to death, loss, grief, and mourning. We feel our losses deeply and we seek some kind of accessible comfort through our tears. Those tears form our river of grief.

Being diagnosed with a disease or condition that could change your life (and those close to you), often sends you on a rollercoaster of emotions. Usually, shock is the first hit along with fear and bewilderment…

Many years ago, I was visiting a friend’s house, having just heard that her husband was in his last few days. She was not a close friend, but I knew them both as part of the Quaker community…

Recently, a friend told me about feeling increased anxiety. She had had a kidney transplant over 20 years ago, but, now in her 60s, she finds herself getting very upset with any new physical symptom…

The loss of a mother at a rather early age was very traumatic. At 17, this is the time you need love, guidance and direction about life and you do not know who to trust. So you must learn to trust yourself and your instincts and in your life decisions – good, bad, right or wrong…

“I’ve had my three score years and ten. I really can’t complain – all the rest is extra.” These are the words of my father a few years before he died. The number these days – probably even then – might not be exactly right when calculating the average…

A yoga practice can provide many benefits, but I don’t know of anyone who joined a yoga class for the purpose of triggering a “good cry.” Not all yogis experience emotional tears, but if you do, it’s ok. Yoga class and your practice should be a safe space…