Story-telling | Sheila Collins

Plans and Unexpected Gifts

by Sheila Collins | Mar 10, 2022 | Art & Life, Celebrations, Community, Environment, Family, Gatherings, History, Past Events, Personal Stories, Story-telling

It had been an exceptionally busy and stressful month. I arrived back in Pittsburgh from California late Saturday night, and we got in the car Wednesday morning and drove six hours to New York City to help a friend celebrate his birthday. The birthday celebration had...

Abilities and Disabilities

by Sheila Collins | Feb 24, 2022 | Duality, Environment, Family, Health, Health and Wellness, History, Noteworthy men, Our Children, Personal Stories, Self-Care, Story-telling, Technology

I’ve heard recently of several friends and acquaintances suffering the effects of serious falls. This is probably not unusual at my time of life, since falling is considered a major health risk for elders, and the risk of serious injury or death increases with age....

Reflections on a Month of Winter in Pennsylvania

by Sheila Collins | Jan 27, 2022 | Environment, Family, Personal Stories, Resilience, Rituals, Story-telling

Looking out my sliding glass door at the Allegheny River and its expanding shoreline I have evidence that January 2022 is one of the coldest Januarys we’ve had since we moved here in 2005. Snow covers the river almost halfway to its middle, resting on the ice that has...

In Honor of

by Sheila Collins | Jan 20, 2022 | Art & Life, Celebrations, Duality, Family, Good Will Come, Grieving, Health and Wellness, Our Children, Past Events, Personal Stories, Spirtuality, Story-telling, The Art of Grieving

This Saturday, January 22nd will be the first anniversary of my sister Pat’s birth since her death last fall at 78 in a memory care facility. As part of my own Art of Grieving practices I try to remember and honor a deceased loved one in some special way on their...

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...

Family Thanksgiving Holidays

by Sheila Collins | Nov 18, 2021 | Environment, Family, Gatherings, Good Will Come, Health, Improvisation, Personal Stories, ReImagine, Resilience, Story-telling

For many of us, last year’s covid lockdowns interrupted our usual family holiday traditions and routines. Those images of smiling multi-generational family members gathered in the same room around a bountiful feasting table had to be reconstructed from memories of...

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Plans and Unexpected Gifts

Abilities and Disabilities

Reflections on a Month of Winter in Pennsylvania

In Honor of

Grieving the death of our Heroes and Heroines

Family Thanksgiving Holidays

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Loss is inevitable, yet too often we bury our grief, pretending we're OK when we're not.

In my new book (COMING SOON), I'll share some uncommon notions about grief and how the arts, and art-making, have transformative powers that take us to the heart of the matter.

TOUGH INTO TRIUMPH

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