Family is complicated, creating ties that bind us throughout a lifetime. Even when you try to avoid them, family ties are woven into our subconscious, and memories from childhood can pop up randomly, unannounced. As you will read in the following essays, this may lead people to reflect on a decades-old estrangement and even to try to resolve it before everyone is gone.
Those who have maintained good relations with their family members write about accepting the responsibility of caring for parents or siblings in their final days.
This week, we are featuring stories about families and, in a nod to Father’s Day, about our dads. The Crow’s Feet Podcast presents eight Crow’s Feet writers reading their essays about fathers. You can listen to this moving episode here.
And Robin James is offering a new writing prompt about fathers. You can read her suggested themes here.
Our Family Stories
When My Sister Decided To Cut Off Contact. The decades-old fallout of my sister’s estrangement. By Alisa Wolf
My Mom Had Alzheimer’s. I Don’t Worry About It Happening to Me. Here’s my antidote for over-thinking about the life-robbing disease that may run in my family. By Sally Doran
The One Who’s Forgotten. The burden is heavy, and the recognition is slim. By Jill Ebstein
As I Approach 60, Young People Have Become My Greatest Teachers. They don’t put up with crap from family members. By McKenna Meyers
She Asked for 40 Years’ Worth of Catholic Confessions. What my Mom might be trying to tell us. By Trisha Ready
Just Fathers
Happy Daddy Day! Looking back, he was just the father I needed. By Edwina Owens Elliott
The Words Dad Left Me. They weren’t all sweet, but they were colorful. By Jan M Flynn
When Your Father Never Let’s You Go. Some Dads can control you from the grave. By Frank Ciavarella
The Passion of Father’s Day Weekend. Two generations share their enthusiasm for softball, together. By Jane Trombley
Until next week, you can read more essays about life as we age every day on Crow’s Feet.
Nancy Peckenham, Editor
Crow’s Feet: Life As We Age is a nonprofit, 501(c)3 charitable organization that produces this publication and a bi-weekly podcast.
If you find essays and interviews on Crow’s Feet: Life As We Age that change your views on aging or help you navigate the aging process, please visit our website, www.crowsfeetlifeasweage.com to share in all the ways we are telling our stories in print, on the podcast, and on YouTube.
Help us reach even more people with our meaningful discussions about aging.
Please forward this newsletter to a friend.
If you read this newsletter and you’re not a subscriber, you can subscribe here (free!) to get the weekly newsletter in your inbox.
