by Sarah Carson Lately, I’ve been obsessed with the first few lines of Mary Oliver’s famous poem “Wild Geese”: “You do not have to be good,” the poem begins. You don’t have to walk through the desert on your knees, repenting. All you have to do, Oliver says, is “let the soft animal of your […]
by LeeAnn Pomrenke Some of us are not built for giving things up completely “cold turkey.” Establishing more sustainable habits means that they have to be actions I can and will keep doing and be better for the environment. I know that thinking that my small actions cannot make a difference is an excuse that […]
Trigger warning: Infertility by Brenda Blackhawk As a modern millennial woman, I spend an average of seven hours a week on my phone, scrolling through social media, reading articles, and playing games. That means that I spend at least 30 minutes each week looking at ads. They pop up in the middle of a game, […]
by Emily Carson As a women in her 30s who still sleeps with her closet light on, I am no stranger to fear. Of course, some fears are more rational than others, and my fear of the dark admittedly falls into the irrational category. Is a giant green closet monster really going to be deterred […]
by Jenna Pulkowski I love stories—books, podcasts, TV series, movies, WebToons, etc. I don’t discriminate if the story captivates me. Five years ago, when one of my friends repeatedly encouraged me to check out the TV show “Outlander” on Netflix, I trusted her recommendation and gave it a try. I was hooked within 30 minutes […]
by Susan Schneider You weren’t invited to the party, but all your friends were. Ouch! You got the letter or phone call from a potential employer that began, “Thank you for applying, but….” Ouch again! The church you’ve always loved tells you that people who identify as LGTBQIA+ cannot belong. No doubt, we’ve all experienced […]
by Kimberly Knowle-Zeller Are you looking to carve out some time for yourself? Are you looking to connect with your faith? Are you looking to deepen your sense of the sacred in our midst? Come and retreat. This one-day retreat is designed for you. And the gift of this retreat is that you can take […]
by Jenna Pulkowski I hate my body. I know I’m supposed to start this off with talking about how I’ve learned to love my body, and you can too. I know it’s not cool to admit that I hate my body. I also understand that hating my body accomplishes nothing for no one. Still, I […]
by Michelle Terry My 3- and 5-year-old sons are playing superheroes again. In the heat of battle against the “bad dudes,” my 3-year-old sustains an injury. Being a superhero is a dangerous line of work. Immediately, he’s tugging at my legging, tears streaming down his face, expecting words of comfort, hugs, and kisses. Of course, […]
by Mary Button Leslie Knope, the eternal optimist at the heart of the television show Parks and Recreation, creates “Galentine’s Day,” a holiday to celebrate her women friends. In season two, we learn that Leslie dedicates every February 13 to love for the women in her life. In the decade since the episode Galentine’s Day […]