Family | Sheila Collins

How Celebrating Religious Holidays Help Us Grieve

by Sheila Collins | Apr 25, 2024 | book promotion, Celebrations, Community, Family, Gatherings, Grieving, History, Rituals, Uncategorized

I overheard a Christian neighbor ask a new Jewish neighbor, “Should I wish you a “happy” Passover celebration?” A discussion ensued over understanding the correct way for non- Jewish people to recognize the current religious holiday that Jewish people are...

The Art of Dancing on Behalf of Peace Part 2

by Sheila Collins | Feb 29, 2024 | Celebrations, Dances, Duality, Environment, Family, Gatherings, Grieving, Health and Wellness, Self-Care, social justice, Songs, The Art of Grieving

“What is she doing? My 3-year-old grandson William’s voice echoed throughout the large meeting space at my 31-year-old son Kenneth’s memorial service. Hearing that voice, and the question that I imaged many other people were asking themselves, I stopped what I was...

Grief and the Element of Space

by Sheila Collins | Jan 18, 2024 | Art & Life, Family, Grieving, Our Children, Past Events, Personal Stories, pets, Story-telling

Recently several people I know have had a loved one die in their home. This has caused me to think about grief and its connection to the element of physical space and objects that surround us. When my daughter Corinne was battling breast cancer and losing, she had...

Family Reunion

by Sheila Collins | Jan 4, 2024 | Celebrations, Environment, Family, Gatherings, Health and Wellness, History, Our Children, Personal Stories, Play, Resilience, Rituals

The sign that greeted visitors to the house we’d rented for our family reunion in Palm Springs read, “Welcome to Paradise.” As family members arrived by plane or auto or rental car on the various days of the 9-day holiday, the sign reinforces the notion that we were...

Using the Arts to Prepare for the New Year

by Sheila Collins | Dec 28, 2023 | Art & Life, Celebrations, Dances, Family, Gatherings, Our Children, Past Events, Personal Stories, Rituals

A hummingbird just fluttered by, reminding me, that besides all my relatives that have arrived or are about to arrive, or who are catching a nap on the patio alongside me here in Palm Springs, I have winged relatives too. I’m most likely gonna need some of that...

Finding Joy Amidst Evidence to the Contrary

by Sheila Collins | Dec 21, 2023 | Celebrations, Duality, Family, Gatherings, Grieving, Past Events, Personal Stories, The Art of Grieving

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go.” The saleswoman in the consignment resale shop turns the music off, or down so low we can’t hear it. I’m fine with that because rather than get me in a holiday mood, the music seems to remind me of all I...

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How Celebrating Religious Holidays Help Us Grieve

Grief and the Element of Space

Family Reunion

Using the Arts to Prepare for the New Year

Finding Joy Amidst Evidence to the Contrary

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