Humanity: Raw & Unfiltered
The man in line behind us at the grocery store told my 11-year-old daughter that she had beautiful blue eyes like her mother. It was probably a very innocent compliment. But my heart started racing. All I wanted was to pay for our groceries and get my daughter away from Read more
For as long as I can remember, my thoughts have been trapped in my head. An ineffectual communicator, I always listened to others and took to heart the words they said. I never responded. I was silent. Childhood for me was silence. I never exposed a pure thought or an emotion that I was feeling. I just could not find the courage, or the right words to say what I felt.
All of us know it, the feeling of a sinking heart, the blush of the cheeks and the crushing blow of embarrassment. We are so ashamed. For some of us the tendrils of the debauched emotion of shame can morph into anger or depression, sometimes both. Shame has been a Read more
I was at the grocery store the other day and a mom and her daughter were in front of me. The daughter was about four and having the best time pretending to be a ballerina in the aisle. I stood and watched as she danced with glee, enjoying the music Read more
“Hello Anger. I love you.” What Anger Tells Us Anger is our friend. Yes, a friend who we don’t want to overstay his welcome, but a friend none-the-less. Anger points us to where we need to set boundaries. It also points to where we need to let go. I’m fond of Read more
Now pay attention. The next sentence will be the most important words I write. I have loved being alive. I’d like you to pause and remember it as we move through the uncomfortable. It’s 4:00 AM. The house has gone quiet. I am tucked in bed safe and sound, baby Read more
“I can’t get in,” the student came back to me and said. The convention center in Los Angeles refused to let him into an invite only event. The other students joined him in their plea to me. They wanted to skip this task, as it was “impossible to gain entry Read more
Perla Batalla, a backup singer for Leonard Cohen for many years, was in concert in Los Angeles recently. In her second act she shared the story of the time Mr. Cohen asked her to sing one of his biggest hits, Bird On A Wire at a party. She demurred—panicked, actually—and Read more