Where I've Been

Emerging from heartsickness

Since day one of 2025 I’ve been writing-compromised. First my back went out, really out, and just getting around was an energy and spirit consuming occupation. Once the marvelous work of a chiropractor eased that situation, Mother got the flu, so I got the flu, and Hubby didn’t fare so well either. But more than either of those two things, my heart was the biggest problem.

The current situation in the USA, which is where I’ve lived my entire life with the exception of a full semester in London, UK, is surreal. The details don’t matter here, and they are far better covered by others on Substack (@Robert Reich, Chop Wood, Carry Water, and many more.) The details are also more than I can articulate. Nothing was getting me to my computer, or my notebooks, or anything that required the un-numbing of my mind.

I’m shifting course and doing for myself what so many of us need. I give myself grace. Today I spruced up the Substack - new moniker “The Mortality Muse.” The name identifies who I am more than what I do. Sticking to what I know, what supports you who read this, and what feeds my heart, mind, and soul is how I am framing my presence here going forward.

It’s been 21 months since I began writing and sharing here. The feedback I’ve received has been more than kind, and more than a few folks have shared with my that what I share has helped them on their path.

I’m The Mortality Muse. You’re invited to walk with me as we open the many boxes, small and large, that we metaphorically fill up with the things we don’t talk about. We can always take the stuff out, look at it, and put it right back in and close the lid. The Death box, the heavy box of Grief, the Why, Who, and How boxes. Often pretty scary stuff we hide away, but here we can look at it all together. Never as scary when we’re looking together. I’m right here with you, musing.