Embracing and understanding your messy, beautiful grief. Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash On January 27, 2018, my heart dog died. A...

I regret not adopting you Photo by Honest Paws on Unsplash My brother got a puppy yesterday, to whom I am a proud auntie. If I am being honest, I’m more elated with the new puppy than when my nephew was born. Maybe because I feel closer to Marc than my other brother, or perhaps because I like dogs more than people. Marc waited 20 years to be in the right place in his life to take on this responsibility because he wanted insisted on doing everything the “right way.” He remind

I’ve always been obsessed with Hallmark movies: Their idyllic towns, beautiful actors, perfect families, and predictable happy endings transport me to my happy place where I forget reality in a neat 2-hour package. I’m well aware that these movies are far removed from real life and perpetuate traditional beauty stereotypes. Still, it’s nice to shamelessly indulge in my adult version of make-believe once in a while. Among the obvious stereotypes, there is one so insidious I di

Photo by Yaroslav Shuraev from Pexels I carried an umbrella with me knowing there was a possibility of light rain, but I could never have...

Photo credit unknown — Widely circulated on the internet for many years This poem simultaneously infuriates me and breaks my heart. It's...

About twenty years ago I briefly traveled to Israel during my sophomore year of college. During that trip my best friend and I met a...

Those who have been through this have so much wisdom to share. I asked people who had lost a pet and then welcomed a new one into their...