Personal Essays

On Teaching Writing Through Grief

By

I teach others how to tell their saddest stories. But when it came to my own brother’s loss, the words wouldn’t come — until they did.

Saeed Jones book excerpt, Modern Loss

I Came Out to My Family While Planning My Mother’s Funeral

By

Reeling in brand-new grief, I felt more like my true self than ever before.

21 Things I Hate — and Love — About Being a Widow

By

Few things in life are black and white, especially in the wake of a death.

Returning to School After My Stillbirth

By

My students were witness to my very public loss.

Searching for Signs

By

The ninja squirrel in my kitchen wasn't my late husband saying 'hello.' It was a reminder of my new, unwanted role: single mother.

10 Lessons I Learned from My Friend’s 9/11 Death

By

My best friend vanished without a trace that day. But the mark she made on my life has been indelible.

My Grief Made Me A Warrior

By

Single and childless, I was used to doing things on my own. But the aftermath of my mother's death brought my loneliness to a whole new level.

It’s All ‘Grief Yoga’

By

After my husband died, I brought a towel to exercise class to mop tears — not sweat.

We Held a Fake Wedding So My Dying Dad Could Be There

By

Bridal magazines don’t really cover these unglamorous issues.

In the Face of Death, We Laughed

By

As AIDS ravaged my friend's body, levity carried us through the end.

My Mom’s Final Gift to My Girlfriend and Me

By

She pushed me away when I came out to her at 30. Right before she died, she pulled me back in.

How a Psychic Medium Broke Through My June Gloom

By

An unexpected exchange reconnected me with my vivacious friend years after her death.

Becoming My Father — For My Son

By

I cannot rescue my dad, but I can mentor my child.

Forgiveness, Father’s Day and Finding a Way Though

By

I screwed up my dad's birthday a long time ago. His reaction continues to teach me lessons years after his death.

Laundry, Before and After

By

I used to resent the endless sorting, washing and folding. Then my daughter got sick — and everything changed.

The Journey Cake

By

The memory of a pastry my husband and I carried from Italy to L.A. carries me through my grief over his death.

How Can You Be Happy at a Time Like This?

By

What it's like to have your mother die the week Trump was elected.

As a Gay Southern Christian, Rachel Held Evans Was My Lifeline

By

The Church has never understood my existence. But Rachel did, and my grief over her death runs deep.

Important Guidelines for Large Adult Orphans

By

On the one hand, you must become both parent and child; on the other, you may request to to be flown to Rome for a pasta dinner.

My Mom Wore a Sari So That I Could Run for Congress

By

Memories of her valor, grace, and sense of self spurred me on during a campaign filled with racism and sexism.

1 … 3 4 5 6 7 … 21