- The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise. -Alden Nowlan, poet, novelist, and playwright (1933-1983)
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Author Archives: Michelle O'Neil
I check my look in the mirror, wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face
So I was all gung-ho for my 10:00AM hair cut appointment yesterday. I got Riley out the door, made a plan for Seth, jaunted off to my appointment excited and nervous. I checked in at the salon. Sat down, flipped … Continue reading
An Experiment in Going Gray
I have friends who intend to color their hair until the day they die. I have other friends who are going grey quietly, gracefully. They need no fanfare. They aren’t having existential angst. They haven’t wasted years and dollars fighting … Continue reading
Child With PANDAS Custody Taken from Parents via Boston Children’s Hospital
These are the shell shocked faces of parents who have been put through hell at the hands of Boston Children’s Hospital. According to their attorney Beth Maloney, they did absolutely nothing wrong. “They are caring, lovely people whose daughter was … Continue reading
Posted in PANDAS, Uncategorized
46 Comments
“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”
7:30AM, and I had Seth at the stove, working on dinner for tonight. He measured and stirred and poured and we talked, and I can’t even remember how it came up, but we were discussing Ghandi. I told him what … Continue reading
Posted in appreciation, Uncategorized
9 Comments
We’ll all be dead soon
About my recent presentation. I lived. I did my best to get centered beforehand, reading uplifting spiritual material in the AM and listening to soothing music on the way to the conference, but I don’t know how much that helped once … Continue reading
Posted in appreciation, memoir, Uncategorized, writing
9 Comments
Samsara
So, I’m turning 44 next week and to celebrate I am thinking about cutting my hair all off and starting over. I’ve colored it forever and am curious about it’s natural state. I’ve got a chunky grey streak happening on … Continue reading
Posted in appreciation, Uncategorized, writing
11 Comments
Dancing at the Shame Prom
I loved Dancing at the Shame Prom so much I couldn’t help but ask co-editors and contributors (both have chill inducing essays in the book) Hollye Dexter and Amy Ferris some questions regarding how it came about and where they are … Continue reading
Posted in appreciation, book reviews, Uncategorized
4 Comments
Calming Tourette’s With Dental Appliances
I had Riley at the orthodontist’s today and we got to talking about Seth and his tics. The doctor told me about work being done to help patients with Tourette’s using dental appliances to stop the tics. Amazing. Read more … Continue reading
Posted in PANDAS, special needs parenting, Uncategorized
8 Comments
Is it wrong?
Is it wrong that the first thing I thought to say/sing when put on the spot by Riley…with her iPod in my face… asking me to sing something for the little talking cat app to repeat back was, “I like … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
6 Comments
Dancing at the Shame Prom
I just finished Dancing at the Shame Prom and I am feeling such a deep sense of gratitude for the women who brought this book to life and for those who contributed to it. I feel like the book is going … Continue reading
Posted in book reviews, Uncategorized
9 Comments
She Can Do Anything!
In June, I posted this, about Riley facing her fear of deep water and also conquering the dratted climbing structure that had been the bane of our existence for years. In the post I asked, “What’s next, riding a bike?” Well. … Continue reading
Posted in special needs parenting, Uncategorized
15 Comments
Dancing at the Shame Prom
I am reading Dancing at the Shame Prom and will be writing more about it soon. Here is a video to whet your appetite. In it, Hollye Dexter co-editor of the anthology talks a bit about what fueled her to … Continue reading
Posted in book reviews, Uncategorized
1 Comment
Hiding Dietary Supplements for Children in Foods
It wasn’t until last year that Riley could swallow capsules and pills. For many years our mornings and evenings were spent grinding supplements and medications with a mortar and pestle, and mixing them in food and hoping our kids wouldn’t … Continue reading
Posted in autism, bio-med, special needs
4 Comments
How Todd and I Wound up Crying at 11:36PM
We watched the MTV Music awards on TIVO, whizzing through the whole thing. Only stopping for Pink, Alicia Keys, and then Taylor Swift at the end singing her bubble gum new single, We’re Never Getting Back Together. And then HT … Continue reading
Posted in appreciation
7 Comments
Sometimes she just knocks my socks off
The other day, Riley wanted to talk to me about something personal and pressing for her. We had a nice chat, in which I shared some related things I’d experienced when I was her age. When we were done she … Continue reading
Posted in Parenting, Uncategorized
7 Comments
Haaaaapy Now!
I’ve written here before about Jack, the boy with Down Syndrome I grew up with. The one who is my age. The one who was ring bearer in our wedding. When Todd and I were first dating, before it would … Continue reading
Posted in meditation, Uncategorized
6 Comments
Yip the Agility Chihuahua?
Inspired by the video above in which Mixy the Chihuahua demonstrates agility, Seth is working with a trainer to teach Yippee some of the same things. Both boy and dog are over the moon. Turns out Yippee is super smart … Continue reading
Posted in chihuahuas, dogs and kids, Uncategorized
5 Comments
Barbara Azzara,Teaching Excellence Not Perfection
A little background. Probably twenty years ago, my friend Anna mentioned something casually in conversation about Emmanuel’s Book: A Manual for Living Comfortably in the Cosmos. This was when I was living in the DC area. I filed it away in … Continue reading
Posted in appreciation, growth, Love., Parenting, special needs parenting, Uncategorized
5 Comments
Happy Birthday to Seth
He did it. He turned ten. He was the best baby. The most precious toddler. The sweetest preschool guy. He’s a joy. He’s a happy person. He is a light. He has more patience than any adult I know. He … Continue reading
Posted in Parenting, Uncategorized
5 Comments
Happy Anniversary
The first thing Seth said when I came downstairs this morning was, “It’s me and Yippee’s anniversary!” Two years ago today we surprised Seth with his Chihuahua. It was the happiest day of Seth’s life, and will go down in … Continue reading
Posted in chihuahuas, Parenting, Uncategorized
6 Comments