Last month, my heart was broken into tiny pieces when our beloved Missy died. I think this experience has impacted the progress I've been making and work I've been diligently doing. I guess you could say it was the epitome of the word "triggered" - so many feelings and memories of events came rushing back … Continue reading Broken heart but healing
Category: thankful
Being alone is difficult
I know that when I feel anxious or swimming in thoughts, I need to just write them down. It's amazing the clarity that can be realized when I put my anxious thoughts to rest. Being alone is hard for me. Ironically, I'm an introvert. But I think in today's terms I'd be considered an "extroverted … Continue reading Being alone is difficult
Change as ethos
The desert feels close today. The gray sky makes me think of cozy but infrequent days when the clouds shrouded the Franklin Mountains like a light jacket, unsure about the change in season but ready for spring. The experience of driving in El Paso feels near, of enjoying that first new place. I grew immensely … Continue reading Change as ethos
I’m cut out for this
I realize that I don't write much about my "other" life: the hours of my life I spend as a public school teacher. I do my best to have healthy boundaries between work and play, and in the past year this need has become more pronounced. I use my commute and other teachers who are … Continue reading I’m cut out for this
From the Archives: “She Waited”
This week I finished the novel On Earth We Are Briefly Gorgeous by poet Ocean Vuong. There was so much to unpack in the beautiful masterpiece that was that book (you can read my review here - no spoilers), but one thing that triggered my subconscious. The narrator has a close relationship with his grandma, … Continue reading From the Archives: “She Waited”
154 days
I spared a moment of generosity this week and placed my leftover candy in the main office at work. I'd been stealing "fun size" candy for days now, weeks. I had originally bought it for a meeting I had this month, thinking, "Yeah, Elizabeth, you can control yourself with candy in the room. Just three … Continue reading 154 days
I could feel this coming.
As far as I know, the world is spinning at the same rate as it was only a week ago. A month ago. A year ago. But now, as of 5:42 AM on March 17, 2020, we're living in a much different world. And it's weird to think I could feel it coming. For several … Continue reading I could feel this coming.
When ‘no’ means ‘yes’
Busyness is a form of people pleasing, and people pleasing is a coping strategy. If I can't feel good about myself from the inside, then I make sure to get as much external validation as possible. The more I say yes, the harder I work, the more validation I receive which, because of how I … Continue reading When ‘no’ means ‘yes’
Time and space
I'm beginning to think that sleeping in is overrated. Not only is there science to back this up (REM cycles and all that) but I feel so much more at ease in the mornings if I give myself more time to wake up, enjoy coffee, and read a bit. On days like today, I'm promised … Continue reading Time and space
Water
Today's word is water. After living it the desert for almost 5 years, water has become a welcome sight. We can see the wide, slow moving Susquehanna from our house, and the Bay isn't much farther. I'm always reminded of how much civilization has relied on water for survival. In the desert, abundant water can … Continue reading Water
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