I’m reading Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead right now, excellent pandemic reading. Soothing and peaceful. All of Robinson’s fiction is wonderful, and now I’m fully immersed in Home, too, in preparation for Jack this fall. But in the meantime, here is one of a number of passages I have marked out in Gilead because they struck me…… Continue reading Built on the ruins

There’s going to be a distinct break in tone and content between the entry dated January 6, 2019, titled, optimistically, “Optimism,” and this entry. I wish we could have clean breaks, fresh starts, but maybe it’s a good thing that we’re a little tethered to our past selves. Those selves knew things that we might…… Continue reading Pivot

I was listening to Krista Tippett’s interview with Maira Kalman for the second time, and it got me thinking about optimism. We have good days, bad days, overwhelming days, tired days, awesome days, days when we can’t go on, but we keep waking up every morning and doing it anyway. To me, that is optimism.…… Continue reading Optimism

In 2019, I challenge you to love yourself more than anyone else has ever loved you. All the ways your inner child wants to be parented, taken care of, seen, heard, respected, and loved unconditionally? You can give that to yourself. You are the answer you’ve been waiting for. It all starts with you. Flip…… Continue reading New year challenge

Sharon goes through these questions for finding your holiday spirit every December on Design Yourself. This year, it’s not exactly spirit I’m looking for. I think it’s just peace after what has been an emotional rollercoaster of a year. So here are her questions, with some of my reflections. I hope the questions spark some…… Continue reading Holiday intentions

Transmission to my younger self a few days before I turn 33: I wish I could show you how good it’s going to be. I know you wanted to tap out so many times. I know things hurt so much and you numbed because it was too much. But look at you go, girl. You…… Continue reading Keep going

In barre3 class tonight, I felt horrible. Usually, barre3 makes me feel strong and energized. But not tonight. Something was off, and I didn’t know what. I fought my way through the class and made it to the final resting pose, impatient to get on my way and be alone. While we lay on our…… Continue reading Begin again