Erica F. Kosal's Blog

When considering new directions in life, it can be overwhelming.  Sometimes a decision is forced on us such as when someone graduates from college or when someone loses a job without warning.  But sometimes these decisions are not so “time sensitive” – for example, you might apply for another job and wonder if you should […]

What does someone decide to blog about?  I have been asked this question much over the past many years.  Often the topic comes to me as something has been occurring that makes me pause or strikes me in a way that I think needs to be expressed.  Other times I think about something that fits […]

The summer months have a different feel to them regardless of how I am spending my days.  I may be teaching, working on a new project, hanging out with my kids, or running the usual appointments and errands that occur throughout the year.  But still, something about summer, makes everything feel different.  The hot, melting […]

Today is one of those days where multiple things have occurred that cause me to think.  To pause.  To reflect.  Today it is not so much a specific topic that is on my mind, but a feeling.  The items that are causing me to stop and reflect are all stirring an emotion that I can […]

Days rarely go as planned (unless I am on vacation with a very strictly planned schedule laid out for me).  Regular days shift often.  Children get sick, snow comes, hours pass too quickly to accomplish what was on the “to do” list, a neighbor stops over, the computer you are using gives you grief and […]

When I pulled up that Friday evening, I had the same overwhelming feeling that came over me the year before.  There was peace and sadness at the same time.  I looked around and felt gratitude for all the people and noticed how many women were there alone, also dropping off their children for grief camp.  […]

An old friend, a new friend, a friend across the miles I have never personally met, my mom, and a neighbor.  All these different parts came together this morning – all remembering.  All making me aware that there are people who surround us who support, who love, who honor.  Today is the day Jim died […]

I guess the new year always brings in the good and the sad.  The reflection of what is not great compared to the wonderful.  This was reflected in my day both physically and mentally.  As my kids are back in school after the break and I am getting ready to head back to work, I […]

I wrote a piece several years ago for a wonderful website called “Inspire Me Today”.  I wrote it while my now deceased husband was still alive and we were fighting for his life.  It is being reposted today and I hope you will revisit it by clicking here As I reread the piece it made […]

As we all know, time can go by so quickly and yet so slowly at the same time.  Painful times that seemed to last a lifetime in some sense could be flagged by fleeting moments where it is hard to believe years have passed already.  Two years since my late husband was here with me, […]