I have the strength to deal with this time. I have the strength to stick to my choices. I have the strength to learn new skills. I have the strength to change my mind. I have the strength to be patient with myself and others. I have the strength to persist. I have the strength…
Category: Posts
Trust and Love are My Belief System
When I was 15 one of my close friends came out to me. In those days, I pretty strongly believed that being gay was wrong and antithetical to Christianity. While I believe I handled my response as best as could be expected coming from an ignorant know-it-all teenager, I know I did not make my…
Love, Loss, and Where I Work
I have been a nanny since graduating from college in 2015. At first I expected it to be temporary, and when I realized that was not the case, I felt insecure. I knew I loved my job, but I could also perceive that other people expected me to move on. People wanted nannying to be…
Harry Potter and the Self-Assured Child
The Harry Potter books were hugely popular when I was a child. They still are, I think, but growing up during the publications was a whole other experience. I never read them as a kid, though. For various reasons, I was pretty adamant that those books were not for me. I did not read much…
Is Easter for Me?
The Case for Secular Easter I grew up Christian. My parents took me to church just as their parents took them to church. And yes I had Sunday school teachers and pastors who guided me, but I felt self-driven. Unlike some children who were not interested or felt forced, I was committed, interested, and liked…
Life is Hard and Beautiful
I wrote this essay as a reflection a couple months ago. This evening I went to a house concert. One of my old Whitman music major comrades, Maya Elise, organized a concert with a couple other groups of powerful female musicians. I have been watching Maya’s concert schedule for the past couples years, wondering when…
I Am Sad, Though I’m Not Alone
Maybe you have read or thought about coronavirus enough and do not want to spend another five minutes hearing another person’s perspective. I understand that! I was very conflicted about whether or not I would write on this subject. However, it has really been hard to think about much else this week, and I am…
I Promise to be Me
Last week I did something I was not confident about. Spurred on by a conversation with a couple friends, I shared a link to my blog on my Instagram page. I wanted to make a commitment to myself and this project, but this was a difficult step to take. It was easy for me to…
Don’t Be Unnecessarily Afraid
I always wondered how people ended up with personal mantras. Mine just sort of happened and my life sort of changed. Don’t be unnecessarily afraid. I have mentioned my mantra before. It plays an active role in my daily life. Here is how I describe it: There is necessary fear that keeps us alive, but…
Good Grief, it’s All Good
My Five Stages of Travel Emotions When I was growing up, I thought traveling had to contain a level of stress and misery. It always included running through airports, waiting for hours while our flight schedules were rearranged, arguing with my sister, and being told to keep my mouth shut about dishonesty on our customs…