I moved to Afghanistan in January of 2007, the first chance I got, fresh out of grad school. I studied public health and learned that every 28 minutes a woman in Afghanistan dies in childbirth. And doing something about that felt like the most important thing. I had recently left…
The first time I came home from Afghanistan, I had been warned that going to the grocery store might be overwhelming.
It was the Mayo that did me in.
I stood there in the fluorescent lights, staring at an entire shelf of clean, neatly organized mayonnaise choices. Frozen with indecision…
I’ve found myself responding to other writers about the word alcoholic a lot lately. So much so that I decided to consolidate my responses into this piece, and I welcome your comments.
If you identify as an alcoholic, I assume that’s because it helps you in ways I don’t (yet)…
He called at 7 pm on March 12th. I had just put the kids in the bath. It was an odd time for my friend’s husband to call from the East Coast, so I answered with a pit in my stomach.
“Meg, do you have a minute to talk?”
“Ya…
I was trying to get out of the backseat of my mom’s Volvo station wagon. My too-big L.L Bean backpack was stuck in the too-small opening between the door and the seat. The thick heat of our musty garage against my plaid uniform felt like stepping into a panic attack…
“We are beings who are at the nexus of the dreams of our ancestors and the memory of our descendants”
— Dr. Angel Acosta
“Is there anything you want to talk about before…” and I hear the tears well up in her eyes. Quickly composing herself with her distinctly shallow…
It’s not that I confused you with love — it’s that you were part of my experience of being loved.
When he came into my room to wake me up. And he hugged me, and I hugged him back and said, “I wish it could always be like this.” I…
When I was 18, I ran up and down hills wearing heavy, stiff boots, singing songs, and carrying a 7-pound rubber rifle. I was in basic training, and they ran us until our legs stopped working — so we took turns carrying each other. …
In my twenties, I always seemed to have a little extra space.
Even my bra used to wrinkle where it now flexes.
But now, there is just your little big belly.
Your belly that wakes up hungry for oranges.
Your belly that won’t stop asking until it is satisfied.
And…
I’m an Integral Coach and Co-Founder of the Seattle Coaching Collective. www.seattlecoachingcollective.com
