In the years since retirement, dealing with the grief of the loss of a child and a Mother with Alzheimer's has been a full time job. Although both my son and my mother are gone now, these experiences will remain with me always. Writing helps...thanks to my mentor and teacher, Sheila Bender, for sharing her own grief to help others through theirs. Having been a professional writer my entire teaching career, it was only after my retirement several years ago that I became the student and let myself be immersed in essay and poetry. I have focused on expressing grief and joy, at both ends of the life spectrum, in poetry format. Sharing writing lets us know each other's hearts and minds in a way few other things do. - Judy