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Monday Meditations
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The touch I cherish. (Cherish, because it speaks of so much more)
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 9/25/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 9/25/24

The touch I cherish. (Cherish, because it speaks of so much more)

Would we call it sad, this survival scene
with two people
who once recklessly pledged their love
for each other?

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I’m fighting loneliness, and I think, I THINK, I’m winning the battle
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 9/18/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 9/18/24

I’m fighting loneliness, and I think, I THINK, I’m winning the battle

I'm learning about loneliness in this new chapter. And many weeks, as I consider my situation, I actually apply what I'm learning!

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Some forgetting I’d be just as pleased if I couldn’t remember
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 9/11/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 9/11/24

Some forgetting I’d be just as pleased if I couldn’t remember

"Remember the forgetting" is the headline I wrote for my home page. I had no idea what I was saying.

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Good grief: A weekend with lifetime friends yields a new definition
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 9/4/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 9/4/24

Good grief: A weekend with lifetime friends yields a new definition

It is possible to experience happiness and grief at the same time. A weekend with lifetime friends proved it.

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Embracing lament: health and hope for anyone burdened by loss
Reflections, Resources Mark A. Taylor 8/28/24 Reflections, Resources Mark A. Taylor 8/28/24

Embracing lament: health and hope for anyone burdened by loss

A new series of Monday meditations will give us examples to help us embrace God's gift of lament.

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Two lives ending bring me questions I can only trust with God
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 8/21/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 8/21/24

Two lives ending bring me questions I can only trust with God

Which is worse? To see a young life snatched away too soon? Or to watch a long life twist to a tortured end?

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Navigating change is everyone’s challenge, but for me it’s different
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 8/14/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 8/14/24

Navigating change is everyone’s challenge, but for me it’s different

We live in an age of constant change, even though our instinct is to resist it. But for caregivers like me, facing change is a weekly challenge.

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Good people. Good question. Two words. Good weekend. Good progress
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 8/7/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 8/7/24

Good people. Good question. Two words. Good weekend. Good progress

Everyone who knows about Alzheimer’s anticipates that Evelyn is not doing well. But my new friend asked about me.

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Beginning with tears, ending with reflection: An old man’s pattern
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 7/31/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 7/31/24

Beginning with tears, ending with reflection: An old man’s pattern

I don’t know why I had tears that morning. But a story from Scripture gave me a new idea.

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A trip to a scenic corner. A step in  the journey that now feels new
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 7/24/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 7/24/24

A trip to a scenic corner. A step in the journey that now feels new

Another family vacation without Evelyn. Wonderful—and sad.

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Stanley Tucci, Italian cooking, cancer, and the meaning of life
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 7/17/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 7/17/24

Stanley Tucci, Italian cooking, cancer, and the meaning of life

I was getting a little bored with the book till I came to the last chapter and realized Tucci had touched something far more profound than what we’ll fix for dinner.

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A popular lyric. A friend’s example. The challenge I’m facing today
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 7/10/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 7/10/24

A popular lyric. A friend’s example. The challenge I’m facing today

The resolution to one friend’s stress could lead to deeper peace for me, too.

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Marking an unremarkable anniversary with the woman I’ll never forget
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 6/26/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 6/26/24

Marking an unremarkable anniversary with the woman I’ll never forget

For the first time in 51 years, we didn’t celebrate our wedding anniversary. But I marked the occasion in a way I’ll always remember.

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Calculating ‘quality of life’ amid my not-finished-yet goodbye
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 6/5/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 6/5/24

Calculating ‘quality of life’ amid my not-finished-yet goodbye

Another trip to the hospital for a condition that hadn’t taken us there before. How many more trips will there be?

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Four more conclusions in response to a caregiver’s plea for help
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 5/29/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 5/29/24

Four more conclusions in response to a caregiver’s plea for help

A caregiver’s plea for help in dealing with his task reminded me of conclusions that have come to me in more than five years of caregiving.

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Making the best decisions will likely continue to be a challenge
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 5/8/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 5/8/24

Making the best decisions will likely continue to be a challenge

I thought the pressure of making difficult decisions would end with Evelyn living in residential care. Saturday morning I realized that end won’t likely be anytime soon.

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An acrostic to help me remember six goals for a life on purpose
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 5/1/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 5/1/24

An acrostic to help me remember six goals for a life on purpose

The list helps me keep from living my life haphazardly. I don’t accomplish every goal every day, but these are a good checklist for every week.

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My first dinner guests at home alone: enjoyable, but different
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 4/24/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 4/24/24

My first dinner guests at home alone: enjoyable, but different

I’m living alone, and I’ve decided to cope with that by not always staying alone. So I invited three couples for dinner. Like everything else in my life now, it felt odd, a strange mix of the familiar with the all-new.

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I’m finally admitting that ‘Mark and Evelyn’ doesn’t describe reality
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 4/16/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 4/16/24

I’m finally admitting that ‘Mark and Evelyn’ doesn’t describe reality

This year I signed Easter cards with my name alone. I’m finally ready to admit that our reality has changed.

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One week after our big transition: I’m hoping the shadow has passed
Reflections Mark A. Taylor 4/15/24 Reflections Mark A. Taylor 4/15/24

One week after our big transition: I’m hoping the shadow has passed

I can honestly report, “We are doing fine.” This is true for several reasons.

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