Personal Essays

Fortune Teller

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My dead mother communicates with me through fortune cookies. Really, she does.

Visiting Dad on Google Street View

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Before Dad died, Google cameras captured him — healthy and happy — tending his yard. For years after his death, I visited him frequently in cyberspace.

Feet, Pain, Love

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After my boyfriend succumbed to cystic fibrosis, I found relief in a grueling 500-mile pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago.

On New Year’s, Clawing My Way Back

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The year my partner drowned, I bought a supermarket lobster — and set it free.

Grief Is Forever (and That’s OK)

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At a fancy spa, I found myself missing my son and learning to embrace my eternal sadness.

Guilt: My Constant Companion

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After my father died of ALS, my grief has come in waves; my guilt, however, never seems to subside.

Putting the Satan Back in Christmas

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The holiday season may bring up all kinds of memories when you’re grieving. But what if your loved one was more Scrooge than Santa?

The Yoga Dialogues

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After a close friend's sudden death, even a yoga teacher has trouble quieting her mind.

Call of the Riled

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Devastating news has twice come in the form of a call. Now whenever the phone rings, I fear the worst.

Deleting My Mother

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When Gmail kept prompting me to email my dead mother, drastic action was necessary.

On Thanksgiving, Longing to Go Home Again

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For years, I swore off Thanksgiving. Then my mom died, and I found myself longing to go home again.

Mourning Tina, the Nanny Who Raised Me

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When strangers ask me if my necklace is a family heirloom, the answer is not so easy as yes or no.

The Reverse Midas Touch

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After losing my father, two aunts and stepfather in quick succession, I became convinced I was cursed.

5 Things That Help Me Cope

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Facing a lifetime of missing my child, here's what gets me through — and lifts me up.

My Dead Husband, the Serial Adulterer

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My loss was complicated by news that the man I loved had cheated.

Losing Sal

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Losing a pet is a peculiar experience. Animal lovers get it, but others don't. They ask when you're getting a new one. Like you’re replacing a broken toy.

Mourning Anew

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I thought the tragic death of a young friend would temper the pain of losing a loved one to old age; I was wrong.

What’s in a Namesake?

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After my wife's father died, all eyes were on our baby to lighten the burden of our grief.

Finding Our Tribe

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In her "Mourning, Noon and Night" column, the author explains why she left propriety curbside in favor of more unconventional ways to mourn.

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