Growing up, the first day of school was always so exciting. I always had a new outfit. Often a new backpack or lunch box. I had friends at school. I got along well with most of my teachers, so that was never a worry for me. I wasn’t a wiggly kid and had no trouble … Read more
lib•er•ty (Merriam Webster) the quality or state of being free: the power to do as one pleases freedom from physical restraint freedom from arbitrary or despotic control the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges the power of choice During our trip, we spent a just few hours in Philadelphia. … Read more
The Kid was in a bad mood this weekend. Easy to inadvertently poke without any discernible reason. Sunday night, after another large incident over a benign thing, the three of us sat down and had a conversation to try to figure out what was actually going on. Turns out, he had read something in one … Read more
We frequently see changing one’s mind as a weakness, when really, we should support people who do better when they know better. I know a solid handful of people who, in the last couple of years, have pretty substantially changed their point of view on a variety of impactful topics. The problem is—often, we reject … Read more
As I mentioned a bit ago, I have been bingeing on Where Should We Begin? by Esther Perel. The first episode of the second season (“You Need Help to Help Her”), she’s talking with a couple who has a young adult daughter with problems. Most of the details of the episode aren’t relevant to this … Read more
Victim-blaming is almost a national past time. My [expensive thing] was stolen from my [car/house/desk/anywhere]. “Was it locked?” She was raped. “What was she wearing? Was she drinking?” (I could make a giant list of victim-blaming that applies just to women.) My purse was stolen out of a shopping cart. “What did you expect?” Kids … Read more
…you actually want the answer. This is a thing that makes me a little crazy. If you ask for an opinion, you need to be able to receive the opinion. If you ask to hear someone’s experience, you need to be open to hearing their experience. So often, we ask a question and are open … Read more
I wrote yesterday about things that people said to me during my cancer journey and in the time since (though one could argue that it’s all the same journey). I wanted to talk about it a little more. I don’t think people are intentionally being mean or dismissive or any other unpleasant thing. I think … Read more
12 years ago, I began the process of sorting through symptoms and getting tests done that led to a cancer diagnosis. In that 12 years, people have said some really stupid and/or hurtful things. (Not intentionally. But still.) My cancer wasn’t some sort of gift. It wasn’t given to me so I could learn a … Read more
I came across a video the other day. It’s a few years old but, aside from the event that she references, it’s timeless. I have no connection to the site, to the woman, to the organization, to any of the people. She just has a good message. The past handful of years, I’ve been trying … Read more