Terry Perkins Mitman

Raised in Maine, graduated from Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School, I had spent the better part of the prior three decades parenting in Wisconsin. In 2016, Mom moved in with us from Maine, leading to precious time and daily opportunities I had never anticipated. I learned, in large part by trial and error, how to give care to an elder with Alzheimer's disease and other health challenges, while also walking with our kids into adulthood. On June 6, 2021, a year and a half after Mom died, our nest empty for the first time, I was ordained an Interfaith Minister by the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine. I have come to believe that sharing my caregiving journey is one of the ways I am called to chaplain. I hope these reflections inspire insight and growth, humor and joy, and a sense of community that offers fuel in walking life's greatest challenges, which sometimes turn out to be our greatest blessings. I am grateful for how revisiting my real-time reflections has helped me process and heal.