Songs | Sheila Collins

Are we willing to mourn?

by Sheila Collins | Apr 27, 2023 | Community, Dances, Duality, Family, Gatherings, Grieving, History, School Shootings, social justice, Songs, The Art of Grieving

Seven-year-old Daniel Barden’s father Mark came on ahead of the video I was trying to pull up this morning. I’ve seen him often though these past 11 years since his son was one of the 20 children killed when a 20-year-old with an assault-style weapon began shooting at...

Musical Soundtracks for Grieving Loss and Celebrating Life

by Sheila Collins | Oct 12, 2022 | Art & Life, Book Excerpts, Community, Personal Stories, Songs, Story-telling, Writing

Grandsons Ethan and Will were probably 9 and 6 when I watched their mother interrupt a fight they were having. She had clearly done this before, and I saw that she had some skill in getting the boys to look at the situation from the other person’s point of view. After...

Lessons for the Art of Grieving from a Queen’s Funeral

by Sheila Collins | Sep 15, 2022 | Art & Life, Celebrations, Community, Environment, Family, Gatherings, Grieving, Songs, The Art of Grieving, the Big Body, Women, Girls & the Feminine

Queen Elizabeth’s four adult children walk slowly behind her casket as it moves through the main street of Edinburgh Scotland. Throngs of British subjects and their guests stand in respectful silence. The only audible sound–the clomping horses’ hooves on the street’s...

Goodbye 2021! Hello 2022!

by Sheila Collins | Dec 30, 2021 | Art & Life, Celebrations, Community, Dances, Family, Grieving, Personal Stories, Songs, The Art of Grieving

According to the Gregorian solar calendar, we’re about to begin welcoming a new year, which involves saying goodbye to the old one. Around my house, after installing a new roof, we’ve been moving furniture, cleaning closets, and going through files to determine what’s...

Grieving the death of our Heroes and Heroines

by Sheila Collins | Dec 9, 2021 | Art & Life, Community, Dances, Family, Grieving, History, Noteworthy men, Past Events, Personal Stories, Songs, Story-telling, The Art of Grieving, Uncategorized

One of my favorite artistic heroes, the composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim died recently. When I heard the news, a wave of grief washed over me. I’d admired his work for many years, but I’d never met him so why did I feel like I’d lost a dear friend? I read and...

Crossing Over

by Sheila Collins | May 27, 2021 | Celebrations, Duality, Family, Gatherings, Grieving, Health and Wellness, Our Children, Personal Stories, Rituals, Self-Care for Caregivers, Songs, Spirtuality, Story-telling, The Art of Grieving

Michael rowed the boat ashore, Alleluia, Sister helped to trim the sails Alleluia. Our living room has turned into the dying room. Friends linger after stopping by to bring flowers or drop off food. One tells me, “There’s so much love in this house. it’s hard to...