Voices of Experience: Dead Serious

A tell in poker is a change in a player's behavior or demeanor that is claimed by some to give clues to that player's assessment of their hand. A player gains an advantage if they observe and understand the meaning of another player's tell, particularly if the tell is unconscious and reliable.  ~ Wikipedia

Linda I. Meyers was 28 and the mother of three young boys when her mother, after a lifetime of threats, took her own life. Staggered by conflicting feelings of relief and remorse, she believed that the best way to give meaning to her mother's death was to make changes in her own life. Bolstered by the women's movement of the 70's, Linda left her marriage, went to college and received her Psy.D., raised a family, and established a fulfilling career. In her book The Tell: A Memoir, she shares stories from a colorful life ~ touched by tragedy and rich with humor. In this poignant excerpt, she describes her reactions in the aftermath of her mother's death by suicide.