June 25, 2026

Suicide Signs

Read a sad news story about a young man who apparently took his own life. As I thought about what he and his friends and family might have experienced, some questions came to mind.

  Were there signs? Yes.

  Did anyone read them? Yes. Partially.

  Did anyone take action? Yes. Partially.

  Is it their fault he committed suicide? No.

  Should they be expected to know the signs of suicide risk? No.

  Would it be good if we all knew the signs to look for? Yes.

What are some signs that a person might be suicidal?

• Talking about wanting to die.
• Saying they’re not sure if they can go on.
• Expressing that others would be “better off” without them.
• Feeling hopeless or that they have no reason to live.
• Giving away possessions or making plans for those possessions.
• Expressing unusual appreciation or affection when it’s not something they tend to do. (Are they saying goodbye?)
• Reckless, dangerous behavior. 
• Stressed and /or depressed mood.
• Happy mood after being recently depressed. (Have they decided to end it all?)

What are some risk factors for suicide?

• History of attempting suicide.
• Experiencing a loss (a break-up, death, school or work problem, financial or legal problem).
• Alcohol or other drug use or abuse.
• History of self-harming behaviors.
• Family or friend history of suicide or suicide attempts.
• Having been bullied or abused.
• Access to a gun or other deadly means.

 What can we do?

• Ask the person if they are thinking of suicide. (It’s okay to ask.)
• Encourage them to get help (from a suicide crisis line like 988, a therapist, a pastor / rabbi / clergy).
• Call for help (for example, 911 or crisis line 988).
• Pray.
• Take them seriously.
• Don’t keep secrets.

Where can you find help?

• Call or text 988.
• Contact https://988lifeline.org/
• Learn more about suicide and suicide prevention: 
• Contact https://afsp.org/ (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention)
• Contact https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/suicidal-behavior/prevention

What if you are the one deciding whether to stay alive?

• Reach out. Get help.
• Call or text 988.
• You are important.
• You matter.
• You are loved.

Is staying alive worth it? Yes. Oh, yes.

June 12, 2026

As a marriage and family therapist, I spent many years in the field of addiction medicine, working with people who had alcohol and other drug problems—and working with their families. I was touched by their struggles, sorrows, and triumphs. My heart is still with them.

fried piper

plays a tune
invites the uninitiated
to follow and they do

from joint to pill to pipe to needle
from remember to forget
forget to remember to sleep

nightmare glitches worse than dreams
lullaby discord
that briefly soothed deadens
pain connection future hope direction

except in circles
more need now more need
piper’s tune forgotten
notes on loop that play unbidden

try to keep hidden
then no longer care
more you use more it takes

afraid to sleep
afraid to wake
if you wake

May 14, 2026

I’ve been reading the news about mass shootings. I felt the need to write about the topic but decided to try a different kind of approach. Here it is:

Instead of a mass shooting

draw a picture of how you wish they had acted,
write a story about what happened,
then write it using emojis,
make googly-eyed dolls that look like them,
send them a rubber pizza,

go to a basketball hoop, see how many baskets you can make,
make up a dance that reminds you of them,
tell someone what they did to you,
look up anger management classes,
take your medicine, if it’s prescribed,

imagine all of you in a TV sit-com,
get something to eat,
take a deep breath,
hold it for a few seconds,
breathe out, slowly, then repeat,

picture you and them living on separate planets,
the Milky Way galaxy in between,
unpack your resentments like old baggage—
you don’t have to keep them,
let the anger, hatred, bitterness, pain
drain out of you,

do stretching exercises,
do jumping jacks,
call your doctor,
list reasons to stay cool,
take one moment to pray for them.

March 24, 2026

I think it’s time for another dose of “Bloomscrolling,” as compared to doomscrolling. Enjoy the images from Pixabay and the music “Quiet Joy” from Clipchamp. I hope you enjoy.

February 19, 2026

Thinking about the skiers in the avalanche near Lake Tahoe, California. With thankfulness for those who survived and sadness for those who did not.

Prayer after Avalanche

Hold them 
in Your warm embrace. 

Protect them, Father,
by Your grace.

Give sweet breath
for every face.

Make them strong,
all fears erase.

In Jesus' Name.

February 5, 2026

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending an online poetry reading sponsored by Kelsay Books. One of the featured readers was Margaret Lloyd, and I really liked her work. So, as I often do, I did some research and found that she is not only a poet, but an artist as well.

I discovered that I like her artwork as much as her poetry. She does oil paintings, watercolors, and also works in slate.

https://www.margaretlloyd.net/about

Here’s a link to some of her oil paintings: 

https://www.margaretlloyd.net/oilpaintings

I was inspired to write after viewing her paintings:

sunrise melts

above the sea

vapor rises, rays reach down

they fog together

changed and not

This experience is an example of finding something you didn’t even know to look for. Serendipity!

January 13, 2026

You’ve heard of “doomscrolling”–reading depressing or distressing news story after news story. Well, I decided to invest some time in something different, and I call it Bloomscrolling. Images are from Pixabay and the music is called “Grace” from Clipchamp. For your enjoyment and relaxation.

January 5, 2026

First Responder

We admire “first responders”—their courage, strength, dedication. But are they really first? Let me propose that God is the first and most important responder. The first, the last, and the always-with-us responder.

He is everywhere at once, the Alpha and Omega, the ultimate Responder. And not only is He the true first Responder, He also created the world. Not just ready to respond, but initiating the intricacies, beauty, and mysteries of life.

I still admire the other responders, thank God for them, and pray that God will protect and help them. But I think many of them would agree that they can respond because He does first.

December 3, 2025

We’ve been looking at difficult kinds of losses. Are there “good” losses? Yes, it could be those few extra pounds, but are there other losses we can count as positive?

What about losing a bad attitude? Losing a resentment sounds good. Or the burden of debt. Weight of guilt. Or even regrets. You get the idea.

Did you ever go through a painful loss and later were thankful for it? What are some losses you’ve experienced that were good—or that turned out to be good in the long run?

What is something you could stand to lose?

November 25, 2025

Loss. How do we respond to loss? How do we cope? I just read about a teen, a young man, who reportedly committed suicide after becoming a victim of “sextortion.”

Sextortion, as you may know, is a type of blackmail, using compromising photos of a person to threaten, demand money, or harm their reputation.

Many young people have been lured into sending revealing pictures of themselves. And when someone shares those pictures with other people–or threatens to share them–it’s a crisis.

What has been lost? Privacy, a sense of safety, trust in whoever they sent the photos to. There might be fear of losing respect. And embarrassment is a painful sting.

But loss does not have to lead to greater loss. It will take some time, lots of courage, forgiving oneself, and realizing that they are not alone. Help is available. Learn more at:

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

https://www.ncmec.org/theissues/sextortion

Don’t let a mistake lead to more loss. Your future–yes, your future–is worth saving.

November 20, 2025

We’ve been talking about loss—people lost at sea or in the mountains, kids running away or being abducted—but sometimes loss is less obvious.

Loss of confidence, loss of joy, even loss of hope. We can’t see it, but the pain is as real as a death, a concussion, or a broken bone. Pain can grow and swell and threaten to overwhelm.

It’s important to know that God always sees, and He can always help. Even when the pain is invisible.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm147:3).

November 7, 2025

You know those teens I mentioned in my last post—who seem to keep disappearing day after day? 15-year-old girl missing since, 14-year-old boy missing from, 17-year-old last seen…

I share their pictures, say a prayer, and wonder why they’re missing. Kidnapped, ran away, got lost, what? I’ve always had a soft spot for teens. So challenging, so vulnerable, so “invincible,” so young. No matter how bad it gets, don’t run away.

If you knew your child was planning to leave tomorrow, what would you say to them?

A resource: National Center for Missing and Exploited Children 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)

_____________________

October 31, 2025

Something about the lost, the missing, tugs at me. It could be a woman lost in snowy mountains, a man gone missing in the desert, someone rescued after three weeks alone on a raft. Could be one of the way-too-many teens who have disappeared—and who seem to keep disappearing day after day.

It’s been 15 years since Ed Rosenthal (poet, commercial real estate broker) got lost in Joshua Tree National Park and, thankfully, lived to tell of it. Earlier that same year, William Ewasko became lost in Joshua Tree. They just found his remains in 2022. So, you see it could go either way.

What would you do if you were lost in the desert?

If you’d like to make a donation to Joshua Tree National Park Search & Rescue, you can send a check to the address below. Thanks!

Joshua Tree National Park Search & Rescue

74485 National Park Drive
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277-3597

October 14, 2025

Greetings! On this website I want to share the beauty and power of poetry, its inspirations and expressions. To share my poetry and increase awareness of other writers.

To encourage you in your writing and reading journey through inspiration, resources, addressing the challenges and joys when we discover poetry in our lives. Where? Poetry is where you find it. I hope you’ll join me!