So I’m Just Going To Say Congratulations!

The Voice of Humor: He’s engaged to someone named Miranda? So . . . many Miranda Rights jokes . . .

The Voice of Experience: . . . that she, at least, has already heard way too many times before.

Sorry For Your Loss

I always want to say the perfect thing when someone’s mother dies, but there are no perfect words.

A Quiet Candle

In honor of Memorial Day.

Today’s Safety Tip (And Feel Better Soon)

While it’s okay advice to “grab with both hands what life gives you,” as a caveat, if what life is giving you is straight out of the oven, put on oven mitts first.

Rest In Peace, James

A couple days ago I got the news that a cousin of mine had died unexpectedly, and I’ve been processing that news ever since. We weren’t close either as children or adults; in fact, I don’t think we exchanged even one word between us once we were grown.

But we played together as children.

This candle’s for you, buddy.

But On A More Serious Note (Part Four)

I’m of two minds on if yesterday was an adequate wrap-up for the topic of the week, or if there’s more that needs to be said.

Actually, that seems rather appropriate.

The topic of suicide, like the act itself, can be a messy, convoluted business, and at the end of the day clear answers and feelings may not be in the cards. (What is it with me and gambling analogies lately?)

I’ve shared a little bit of what has helped me and others through those dark moments, and hopefully that will at least help you find your own reason(s) to live if you need it. Maybe I know you, maybe I don’t . . . but you’re not the first person to have those thoughts, and even if you were, that would still be okay. Life can be hard sometimes.

Maybe you feel like you don’t deserve to live, which is not true, but even if it were, consider this: Pick the worst person you can think of from history, a real monster . . . someone responsible for sickening atrocities that make it hard not to think that the world would have been a better place if they had never been born.

Somebody still loved them, and somebody mourned them and missed them when they were gone. Maybe it was only a single person, and maybe this historical monster didn’t even know that they cared.

But they did. There’s always someone. Always.

Maybe it’s me.

Good luck out there. I’m pulling for you.

This Candle Is For Them

“Merry Christmas” and the like is said so often that it’s easy to forget that many people did not have a Merry Christmas.

Oh, And Merry Christmas

Congratulations to all those involved in the successful launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.

A Quick Candle For My Son

I want to commend you, son, for realizing that much of what people argue about today are indeed “social constructs.” (I’m presuming your mother introduced you to that concept because that’s not a turn of phrase I use.) Once you think about, you start to realize that it’s frankly impossible for every place that claims, for instance, to make “the world’s best pizza” to actually make the world’s best pizza no matter how passionately their fans argue the point.

Once you realize that, you can appreciate the different styles of pizza and pick your own favorite.

We’re Thinking Of You

This candle is for all those affected by Ida.