I typically don’t look for writing prompts. I find inspiration throughout the day, through reading others’ essays, blogs, books, through conversation or an experience. But I am part of this writing group, 500 Words a Day, and a recent prompt asks what advice you would give yourself 10 years ago, 5 years ago, or 1…
Category: Life
The Most Important Day of My Life: I Lost Everything
I am involved in a 500 words a day challenge with a group led by a writer I admire, Jeff Goins. He recently wrote a book I am listening to called Real Artists Don’t Starve. I am a firm believer in this concept, so I bought the book, and so far, so good. So when…
Adolescent Freedom: Giving My Children What I Never Had
“Ugh, I know, I know.” My mother sighs, on her recent trip here for the New Year. “I was a horrible mother, and I didn’t protect you. I think I’m ready for some tequila now.” She was, kind of, being dramatic. And also kind of not. It is true that she didn’t protect me from…
A Mother’s Task: Life Through the Eyes of My Child
Easily one of the most important jobs I take on as a mother is to see life through the eyes of my child. I don’t know that I ever tried to walk in anyone else’s shoes before I met my husband. I’m not saying I was a bad person per se; I did a lot…
What the Health? The Emotional Labor of Motherhood
A writer friend of mine has been talking a lot on social media about the emotional labor of motherhood. Recently, she added an essay to her website as a culmination of her ideas and how she plans to tackle this heavy burden. I mostly agree with her points, and on a few points I disagree….
The Real Lesson of Christmas: Wishes Come True
What I love about Christmas, what I have always seen as the real lesson of Christmas, is that wishes come true. Christmas allows us to hope for something, sometimes it’s rollerblades or a Playstation (I was twelve okay?) and other times it’s peace and joy. Christmas, for me, has always been about possibilities. I could…
And a Tear Fell: A Father Daughter Story
We went into San Francisco today, watched a play at the Children’s Creativity Museum, had lunch at the Metreon, took a picture with Santa and bought some ornaments in Santa Land inside the Macy’s on Union Square, and finished our night off watching ice skaters in Union Square. I want to talk more in depth…
Personal, Professional, and Political Perspective
When things get really hard, at home because I am overwhelmed, at work because I feel disenchanted, or politically because I feel absolutely hopeless, I remember to put things into perspective. Personal, professional, and political perspective gives me hope. I remember that if I feel this way, someone else must. I am not, after all,…
And And And: And Somehow We Get It Done
Have you ever run a marathon? Even a 5K? Have you ever moved your entire household? Built a business from the ground up? Had a baby? Made it through infancy with your child, breastfeeding the whole time? When the adrenaline runs out after mountains of hard work, it is as if a wave of exhaustion…
The Kids Are The Heroes: How I Stay Hopeful
Remembering that the kids are the heroes is, today, the only thing that has returned hope to my weary soul. I am tired. The tiredness I feel goes deep down into my bones. At my core I am tired. A week of finals tutoring always does this to me. It is especially difficult in December…