Twenty-two years after my brother’s suicide I’ve found peace
Twenty-two years ago today, my brother Joe died by suicide during a mental health crisis. He was twenty years old. I was twenty-two, the same age as his death.
Inspiration
Heart Speak Column #1: Getting Alice Out of Wonderland
How do I hone MY very unique and authentic memoir, with all the existential magic and epic wonder it deserves, without falling too far into fantasy folklore or too off-track into inspirational guru guide?
Six Ways to Access the Benefits of Doubt
Discomfort is the inevitable sidekick of the writing life. Out of control doubt is crazy-making. But right-sized doubt can motivate us to develop humility, work a little harder, and remain lifelong learners.
Courses in Grief
Today is the twenty-one-year anniversary of my brother’s suicide. Twenty-one years. On his twenty-first birthday, I planned to take him skydiving. I was researching drop zones, having already made ten jumps myself.
On New Year’s Resolutions
On New Year’s Day, 1985, I wrote down a list of goals for the new year and promised to do this until the year I die. Thirty-two years have passed. Every year, I faithfully sit on my bed and read past resolutions before creating new ones.
Five Ways to Write with an Open Heart
As I’ve mediated about how to live up to George Saunders quote, I’ve reviewed all the practices I’ve learned and taught over the years. As a way to move forward, I thought I would share a few with you.
Reflections on Justice
As a kid, I used to watch the black and white movie about Martin Luther King’s life that played on PBS. My brothers and I leaned in to the thirteen-inch screen and winced with each crack of the baton or spray of a fire hose.
Are you a Writer?
When can you call yourself a writer? I can’t count the number of times I’ve been asked this question or that I’ve asked this question of myself.