You Don’t Drink?

Posted by Ruth Cassell on April 18, 2014 · Leave a Comment 

The Answer I Never Give to the Question I Always Get   I’ve never had a DUI or been arrested. I did wake up with my car nose deep in a snow bank and not remember how I got there. I’ve never lost all my money, family or friends to booze. I did lie to … Continue reading →

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Everything In Its Place

Posted by Ruth Cassell on January 27, 2014 · Leave a Comment 

Peppercorns rattle as I push past a fresh packet of red chili peppers. We always kept those on hand to finish the dhal. Red Chili peppers, garlic cloves, and white cumin seeds dropped in scorching hot olive oil and drenched over a simmering pot of chick peas. Our kitchen wafted with sautéed onions and oil … Continue reading →

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The Tempest of Love Addiction

Posted by Ruth Cassell on May 2, 2013 · Leave a Comment 

Rushing to revive a lost tug living just below the surface. Rigged to another sputtering engine. A rudderless race. Roving with no true destination. Hitched to another’s helm for survival. Love addiction. An addiction in its truest form: an anticipation of revelry, a fix realized, and the relief that follows. Without constant reassurance the love … Continue reading →

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Divorce and Death: What Was, What Could Have Been

Posted by Ruth Cassell on August 23, 2012 · 2 Comments 

I imagined sitting in a lawyer’s office giving depositions to finalize my divorce would be nothing less than tortuous. Have you been separated for more than a year? Yes. Is there any chance for reconciliation? No. How could such questions—monotonous and unnervingly devoid of emotion—not cause me to collapse in sorrow? Two reasons. These final … Continue reading →

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Fellow Warriors in the Battle for Yourself

Posted by Ruth Cassell on May 18, 2012 · 4 Comments 

Sitting across from her with over-sized salads and ice water between us, I can tell how much stronger she is than when we first met two years ago. She’s in the process of selling the house she shared with her husband of 23 years, buying a townhouse in Richmond, and completing graduate school to get … Continue reading →

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