Life Lessons
In Human Parts. More on Medium.
LIVED THROUGH THIS
For way too long, I responded to danger by freezing
“The worst thing you can do is the thing you’ll want to do most,” the park ranger explains.
I’m standing with three friends under a tent at Apgar ranger station in Glacier National Park, allowing mosquitos to dance around my legs. …
THIS IS US
Why I’m happier when I’m prioritizing my marriage and my hobbies over my career ambitions
I have always had big dreams about what I wanted to do in life. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a bestselling author. I carried that dream into my first year of college as an English major, where I fell in love with science writing. I decided…
HUMANS 101
What Elton John did brought me to tears, and made me think about how we can all be a little kinder
Living with a big heart — being magnanimous, considerate, generous, and respectful spreads kindness.
Elton John spread some kindness and touched my heart and the hearts of many others by what he did for legendary musician Leon Russell a few years ago.
Leon was a crack L.A. studio musician in…
Maybe I never did
When my two youngest kids were 3 and 5, my then-husband and I moved into a beautiful neighborhood with big oak trees and oversized yards. I’d wanted to live in this neighborhood for years. It was highly sought after and ‘the place to be’ in my…
EXPRESS YOURSELF
These words from Emmy Award winner Michaela Coel changed my perspective on creativity
Michaela Coel came for my entire soul in her Emmy speech.
Unlike the usual hats off to God and thank yous to mom, the I May Destroy You star had a message specifically for writers:
Write the tale that scares you, that makes you feel uncertain, that isn’t comfortable. I…
This Cinderella has gotten off on the wrong foot
“I’m going to be just like Cinderella when I grow up.” My five-year-old niece, Keira, looked at me dreamily from across her bedroom.
On a recent visit to my sister’s home, I was assigned to my usual sleeping quarters: the girls’ room. There, I could sleep in Brynn’s bed while…
Lived Through This
A year in the life
Let me tell you a story.
Scenario: You have a public school day job of three years that almost pays all your bills so you take on an extra job as an independent contractor to make ends meet. …
Reflections on Identity
Leaving kids at college, leaving marriages, losing spouses
I have a friend who drives in silence; she lives in a rural area, so she spends a lot of time in her car going from one destination to another. This astounds me: no radio, no podcasts, no audio books? I cannot fathom it. The discord in my head is…
HUMANS 101
Instead, focus on what’s in your control. Here’s how.
I called my good friend William and left him a voicemail. “I’ll be in Miami for five days. Hope we can get together one evening.” I never heard from him.
When I got back home, I called his mobile and work numbers. Nothing. I knew he was friendly with my…
THIS IS US
How one small act of kindness changed everything for an animal in need
I didn’t know what to expect when I saw my new horse for the first time. I had paid for her sight unseen, and arranged for her to be shipped to Oregon from Washington. …
Human Parts
A publication from Medium about humanity: yours, mine, and ours.
