Tales of a Traumasita

       You ever have one of those moments when your whole life feels like it's built on a typo? Yeah. That was me. Fifty-one years old, thinking I knew who I was- name, family, heritage, the whole "Reid pride " thing, only to find out....apparently, we're imposters. Not intentional ones, mind you. More like...accidental Reid's.       Let me back up.      A few years ago, we were at a family get-together, one of those events where someone burns the meat, someone cries about the past and everybody suddenly remembers they don't actually like each other.  My brother and I started talking about tattoos. You know, meaningful ones. Something that said family.      He says, "We should get matching ones. Just the name REID, bold and proud."      I was in. Classic. The kind of tattoo that says, "We may be dysfunctional, but damn it, we're united."      Then, from across the table, my cousin pi...

       Grief can be likened to an elusive invisible friend, whose presence manifests unpredictability, disrupting your sense of stability. The friend doesn't announce its arrival, nor does it adhere to a schedule; instead it appears without warning, casting a shadow over moments that seemed ordinary. Its impacts are profound., shaking the very foundations of your emotional world and challenging your ability to maintain normalcy.       When this inconspicuous companion arrives, it brings with it a whirlwind of emotions; sorrow, anger, confusion and even numbness.       It transforms familiar landscapes of daily life into places of melancholy, where joy and routine feel distant. The erraticism of its visits means you might find yourself abruptly overwhelmed, struggling to regain composure as you navigate the waves of intense feelings it triggers.       This alter ego often operates in the background, subtly in...