Category Archives: loss

“oh antic God” By Lucille Clifton

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

oh antic God return to me my mother in her thirties leaned across the front porch the huge pillow of her breasts pressing against the rail summoning me in for bed. I am almost the dead woman’s age times two. … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, family, loss, motherhood | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Why we must stop for death, dear Emily

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

My students are working on Civil War projects, and obviously, the subject of death has been part of the discussion.  The Civil War is ancient history to them, and even to me, Matthew Brady’s intense images of the dead on … Continue reading →

Posted in death, experience, family, loss, memory, motherhood, photography, rituals | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

Family day: a momentous occasion

Posted on March 26, 2012 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

I was reminded by Ed today that it was this date in 2007 — five years ago — that we adopted Monkey Man and Gorilla Girl.  I have never been good with dates, and routinely forget birthdays and even my … Continue reading →

Posted in adoption, family, identity, loss, memory, tradition | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Memories of Dad

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

My sister recently posted this family photograph on her Facebook page.  My dad’s birthday was February 5th, and I was thinking about him on Sunday, in part because my dad was a huge football fan.  He loved the Chicago Bears, … Continue reading →

Posted in family, identity, lessons, loss, memory | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Morning mourning

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Last night at 10 pm, I got a call from the University of Chicago Medical Center asking me to participate in a survey about my experience with the hospital. I suppose hospitals do this from time to time, survey patients … Continue reading →

Posted in expectations, experience, lessons, loss, memory, motherhood | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

Look, crocuses!

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

Two bloggers that I follow wrote things today about stories — about the significance of stories and about how stories not only have the power to connect us, but also to provide us with comfort and escape when life’s disappointments … Continue reading →

Posted in connection, expectations, experience, loss, spring, stories, transformation | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Tell me about your tattoo

Posted on January 24, 2011 by Necessity is the Mother of Invention

One of the most memorable lessons of 7th grade is the “Interview and Experience” Project.  We assign students to identify, contact, interview and “experience” a slice of someone’s life. The person they choose needs to be different from them in … Continue reading →

Posted in art, connection, education, experience, growth, identity, inspiration, lessons, loss, memory, motherhood, scars, tattoo, transformation | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments