Real Talk

Love is an emotion that is one of the hardest to define. Is it a feeling? Is it a decision? Is it blind? Is it madness? Are there different types of love? Loving someone is never logical. We always try to make sense of what it means to love and be loved, but everyone seems to have a different opinion of what true love is. This morning, my daughter and I exchanged a series of “I love yous” and “I love you mores,” and I couldn’t help but forget about any problem I’ve been facing in my life. As we stared at each other and expressed our deep seeded love for one another, nothing else mattered. I wanted to...

Last week, I was home taking care of my three and a half year old during her tonsillectomy recovery. I had planned on using the down time to get some writing done, but I found myself in a mind-twisting moment of writer's block. I thought it was a result of the 24-hour diner situation I had dug myself into in an attempt to get her to eat and drink or the constant whining of boredom from her sisters. But, it turns out it was because I was fighting torturous thoughts of children being separated from their parents with no plan for reuniting them. And like most issues and events that haunt me, until I write down my thoughts about...

Do you ever grow tired of waiting? Waiting for the work-day to end, waiting for Friday to arrive, waiting for the exciting trip you have planned for the summer, or simply waiting for the light to turn green as you sit in traffic trying to get home after a long day’s work? For the past couple years, I feel like I've spent my time waiting, waiting on life to just happen to me. Being a single mother, I don't have the freedom and endless possibilities that some people have (nor do most mothers for that matter). Some days I find myself standing over a pile of dirty dishes or staring at the mountainous load of laundry before me as...

Depression is a liar. It makes you feel guilty that you aren't grateful enough for your blessed life. It repeats to you that one day people will realize you're a fraud. It gaslights you until you can't tell the difference between reality and the stories it tells you about yourself. It paralyzes you from pursuing your dreams because you might fail or be imperfect. It makes going out with friends overwhelming. It exhausts you mentally and physically. It tricks you into believing that medication will guy you of who you are instead of allowing you to BE who you are.  It reminds you that society things people who go to therapy are weak and unable to "just be positive." It numbs joy and optimism but amplifies fear and...

I have what most parents would call a "strong-willed" daughter. Honestly, though, she's just a typical three-year-old. It takes a lot of work to understand that she's just trying to test her boundaries and determine what she can and can't get away with. This actually is no different from what many of us continue to do beyond the toddler stage. How much can I talk to my friends in this teacher's classroom? How late can I be to work before someone says something? Except, like any kid her age, she's testing boundaries for any and every decision in her life because she's legitimately seeking answers. And it is EXHAUSTING. It's so tempting to just throw in the towel when she...