In my most recent post, I wrote: "I wish I could be one of those girls in a song about having a crazy night out with her girlfriends to forget her ex, and then *poof* ALL BETTER. But I’m not, and I never will be." It's true. BUT, there are some really great songs by women artists about every ... read more
An Open Door
I've spent the better part of the last 11 years loving someone who didn't love me back. I wrote this about him three-and-a half-years ago: "I think 7 years is way too long to be in love with someone you will never be with. And now feels like the perfect time to attempt to let go." I didn't let ... read more
It’s Gonna Work Out. —or— Oops, I’m a Sponge.
Last summer I spent 10 days in Ukraine at a camp for kids with disabilities. On one of my last evenings there, I sat for two hours on a little slatted wooden bench painted in primary colors and made for butts much smaller than mine. It was July. It was rainy. I was tired. That night, all the ... read more
When It’s Worth the Broken Heart
I met someone. Everything about our relationship is unconventional and foreign to me — from living on different continents (so, literally foreign) to the circumstances under which it ended. Spoiler alert? Sorry, this story doesn't have a happy ending — at least not a classic rom com happy ... read more
I can do hard things.
My birthday was a couple weeks ago. 34. I've spent 34 whole years on this planet, and I still don't know what the f I'm doing. In the weeks leading up my birthday and in the weeks since, it's felt like every day presents a stressful obstacle to remind me that sometimes I have to try harder at ... read more
Close Enough: The Enneagram, Therapy, and Meeting Myself for the First Time
In January I spent a week house sitting for my parents while they were out of town. I slept in their bedroom, so I used their bathroom, too. It's pretty big — big enough for me to spread all of my getting-ready stuff everywhere and make a mess that made it seem like it was my permanent residence. My ... read more
To My Unborn Nephews: Advice for Life on the Outside
Hey, guys. It's me, your Aunt Tara. You're still all-up-in-a-belly, cooking away, getting big and strong and ready for life on the outside. I've been watching you grow for months now, and every time you get bigger, I wonder who's in there. Who will you be? What will you love? How will you shine? I ... read more
Me, My Depression, and I
I remember the day I started taking antidepressants. I waited a couple days after picking up the prescription, partially in denial and partially terrified. I was a teacher at the time and arrived at school early, scrambling to get some-sort-of-ready for the day. Sitting at my desk, surrounded by ... read more
The Search: My Fledgling Quest for Answers about Faith, God, and Theology
I have a love-hate relationship with pants. It's usually like 90% hate, 10% love, depending on the pants in question. If you're a generally regular-sized person with a few plus-sized parts, shopping for pants turns into a special kind of torture. My closet is full of high-rise, low-rise, mid-rise, ... read more
