Here was originally published in the Winter 2018 edition of Snapdragon: A Journal of Art & Healing. Settled in her wheelchair, hugging a mug of black coffee close to her chest, the old woman sits in the sunshine outside of the front door, a woven blanket draped across her lap. Tendrils of steam waft toward her glasses, … Continue reading Here
Bookends
Anxiety book ended my day. I woke up mid-morning, sleeping late like I usually do after an evening shift. I felt off. I'd forgotten to turn off the battery-operated tea light candle on my bedside table. I could see it flickering still. My sister bought me a set of two votive holders from Crate & … Continue reading Bookends
Lies that feel true that are making me cry tonight
There is something about you that is too different. Too sensitive. Too cautious. Too curious. Too quiet. You will never find your footing. You will never find your place. You will always be second guessing. You will always be scared. You will never fulfill your potential. You will never act on your passions. You will … Continue reading Lies that feel true that are making me cry tonight
Curiosity Reborn
When I was little, I asked question after question of my older siblings and parents. I am the youngest of five children—three brothers and a sister came before me. I asked how? why? when? And when I deemed my questions were a nuisance, or (more likely) my family tired of answering them, I asked them … Continue reading Curiosity Reborn
My vision board
Rogelio de la Vega, my life coach, is the king of vision boards. He's a character on Jane the Virgin, a telenovela actor and Jane's father. If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing it yet, I am so excited for you! Seasons 1-3 are on Netflix. A couple weeks ago I was in the mood … Continue reading My vision board
Too many things to be sad about
I stare into the mirror at my watery, red eyes, my shiny face, my mussed up hair. I look good, I think. Moments before I'd said goodnight to my mom, after nestling against her and crying. "There are too many things to be sad about," I whispered to her. "I know," she responded, "but we're … Continue reading Too many things to be sad about
A fear of (church) commitment
I don't have a church home. Since Christmas Eve, I've been to a Sunday morning service once. This is rare for me. Sometimes I work on Sunday mornings, some weeks I sleep in after working late the night before. Other times I just don't go. It's not because I don't like the particular church I've … Continue reading A fear of (church) commitment
What I’ve Been Reading, part 1
If you follow me on Goodreads, I suppose you can stop reading this post. But if I've learned anything from Martha Stewart, it's the principle of synergy. [Sidenote: Everyone should watch the 2003 TV movie Martha, Inc., because it is a hidden gem of a film and Cybill Sheppherd is amazing and hysterical. I may own this … Continue reading What I’ve Been Reading, part 1
New
We are only days in to the new year, 2018. I was happy to say farewell to 2017. It felt like a deep exhale. Breathe out all of the pain, grief, fear, doubt, illness, confusion, and loss. Breathe in health, hope, joy, peace, growth, and newness. If 2017 was a crash course in letting go, … Continue reading New
Hope for Ticvah
In this season of Advent, the weeks leading up to the Christmas celebration, Christians remember and anticipate the coming of Christ. I've been thinking about hope, about waiting, and I keep coming back to this story. Not about baby Jesus but baby Ticvah, a girl whose name literally means hope. Through a beautifully random series … Continue reading Hope for Ticvah
