Articles
Depression and anxiety, coupled with disquieting thoughts, guilt, and trauma, often feel insurmountable for many including myself, like a constant obstacle where relief is always elusive. Talking openly, and at times very publicly, about mental health challenges is actually quite uncomfortable for me. I grew up in a hyper conservative,
Articles
The overall goal of social consequences for behavior says much about the person who desires them. If justice is sought, two wrongs cannot make a right, and two deaths cannot bring back a life. Two wounds cannot heal a heart. We bind our soul when we seek justice not for
Articles
Values, morals, and ethics are so intriguing to me. Religious indoctrination especially captures my attention because of its power over people. In my case, I have found that if I allow my thinking to go unchecked, it is easy to develop a certain special type of hate and intolerance towards
Newsletter
Sometimes our pain can be so great that we no longer have hope. It’s in these times that our soul dims, our spirit is hamstrung, and our heart darkens in ways where the promise of tomorrow seems like a dream, not a reality. When I personally found myself in
Articles
I love to people watch and study others and reflect, like today as I’m writing in this beautiful hotel lobby. When I think back over the last couple of decades to my earliest memories, I realize that while many of my fears have become reality, many of my dreams
Cuisine
I try never to waste food, and I was on a quest to use some polenta in the fridge before it was too late. The perfect combination was born: the rich, earthy flavors of the polenta would complement the savoriness of balsamic and the flavors of summer tomatoes. This is
Newsletter
I am laying here on my couch, and I just fired up Hulu to watch a show for at least the 100th time. I’m scrolling back 11 seasons to restart Modern Family as the last episode concludes seemingly quicker each time I watch it from start to finish. This
Poetry
What we all shout is our desire to fly and see our potential grow higher, without being bound by chains with no key. We require the determination and power to live our life uniquely and free, preventing our hearts and souls from fading and wanting to retire under the weight
Photography
When I took this picture, I had no idea that my life would take such a wild turn months later. I guess that’s why we should try to enjoy the beauty of the moment and not get caught up in our minds. We never know what tomorrow will bring,
Articles
Like the rest of America, I’ve been considering the ethical nature of the choices made by Gypsy Rose. Her story resonates with me, and I think with others, because those closest to her caused so much harm and she took a stand in an extremely dramatic and violent way.
Articles
Navigating the complexities of relationships has been an intriguing and often challenging journey for me. My upbringing in a conservative Christian community deeply influenced my understanding of love, embedding a notion of conditional affection that hinged on strict adherence to certain rules and norms. This form of love was like
Articles
Reflecting on it now, it seems rather astonishing that I was taught by a religion that we are inherently sinful and wicked, and that we need someone else to make us whole. This teaching emphasized our flaws and imperfections. It’s understandable why so many people feel unable to meet