Author: Jennifer Mullins

Ambiguous Loss

Copyright Jennifer Mullins Do you ever wake up with a sadness you can’t quite name? It may be from a dream about a loved one who is now dead. Or it may have to do with something that is going on in your life now. When it happens to me, I usually can shake it…… Continue reading Ambiguous Loss

The Gift

Copyright Jennifer Mullins Photography Alzheimer’s is one of the cruelest diseases as it creates two losses: losing the person slowly while they are alive, followed by their physical death. It’s so painful watching a loved one go from a place of vitality to a shadow of who they were. I’ve had to deal with this…… Continue reading The Gift

Why ‘See You Next Christmas’ Sparks an Emotional Connection

See You Next Christmas at the Phoenix Film Festival This year, in general, has been more emotional, making the holiday season more challenging than usual. Watching many of the Christmas films that have been an annual tradition stirs up memories of good times but also brings sadness with them as well. The only two I’ve…… Continue reading Why ‘See You Next Christmas’ Sparks an Emotional Connection

Christmas Changes Through the Years

Copyright Jennifer Mullins Christmas is a continually revolving season of feelings, depending on where we are on our journey.         I remember the magical feeling as a child of being at the top of our stairs, waiting to open our presents. Since the tree was at the bottom of the stairs, my parents put up…… Continue reading Christmas Changes Through the Years

Cherishing Life’s Moments: Navigating Family and Fragility

Copyright Jennifer Mullins I wish I could remember who said this on a podcast related to death. The gist was that some people’s lives are short stories while others are epic novels. There is no guarantee of how long we live. However, we get to choose how we write and rewrite the story throughout our…… Continue reading Cherishing Life’s Moments: Navigating Family and Fragility

Copyright Jennifer Mullins Music plays an essential part in my life, connecting the happy and sad memories of my many experiences. A song can bring me back to a particular moment in time that can make me smile or cry. I often see the events associated with that music in my mind's eye. The Beatles'… Continue reading The Road We Shared

Unexpressed Love

Copyright Jennifer Mullins Denial is a hard habit to break. I’ve been struggling to get a good night’s sleep for the last two weeks. I wake up groggy, and my body hurts. Sometimes, naps take the edge off, while I’m tense other times. Writing this the day before Thanksgiving reminds me that my body keeps…… Continue reading Unexpressed Love

Living With Vulnerability

Copyright Jennifer Mullins On a recent Saturday, I had just turned the corner and was within walking distance of my house when my tire made a strange noise. I got out and checked the tire pressure. They were all at the right level, and I couldn’t see anything wrong with the tires. Unfortunately, when I…… Continue reading Living With Vulnerability