Does this Roller Coaster ever stop?
"The ups and downs are usually not that bad, but it's the damn twists and turns that get me every single time." – J. Hasamear
There’s something quietly powerful about a new year — not because everything suddenly changes overnight, but because we do. As 2026 begins, I’m stepping into it differently. Not naïve. Not untouched. But grounded. Wiser. Still standing. Last year left its marks. It tested my patience, my resilience, and my mental health in ways I didn’t... Continue Reading →
I have watched the Broadway musical, Wicked, on the stage 3-4 times, listened to the soundtrack countless times, and recently saw the second part of the movie in theaters. And a line from Wicked’s “For Good” imprinted on me immediately upon hearing it all those years ago: “Because I knew you, I have been changed... Continue Reading →
Many of my memories from Ursuline Academy, an all-girls Catholic high school, remain vivid even after 30 years, especially from my senior year. The memories flow through my mind like water—sounds of girls talking, yelling, and singing in the cafeteria; the familiar scent of the hallways; the taste of sour watermelons eaten secretly in class;... Continue Reading →
My brother and I grew up with the clear understanding that we were both adopted. With six years between us, it was also very clear that we came from two different families since our parents received us at birth.Recently, my brother's birth aunt reached out via social media after finding him on Ancestry.com. He called... Continue Reading →
Over the last couple of weeks, I have been one of many on an emotional rollercoaster, hoping justice would be served in the violent loss of a life so dear - a daughter, a sister, a friend and a girlfriend - for absolutely no reason. In a world full of pain, sorrow and violence, I... Continue Reading →
I fully admit to being a Disney kid. I watched all those animated movies growing up and still love to watch them today. I was always excited to watch a new film when it first came out, either when I was a child, teenager, or even a grown adult with my own family now. It... Continue Reading →
Everything seems harder today when it comes to work, life and everything in between. And, no, I’m trying not to be a whiny baby or complain that life has wronged me or even that I demand to be treated more fairly. I grew up in the 80s, so I know I would’ve been eaten up... Continue Reading →
Remember being so excited to write a Christmas list for your parents when you were young? Putting everything and the kitchen sink on it, hoping most of it would be wrapped under the tree on Christmas morning. At 46, my 'list' is filled with either ideas or items that are extremely too expensive to buy... Continue Reading →
Just the other day, I got a friend request... a simple friend request on one of my socials. My whole body went rigid when I saw his name and his face; a small, very barely visible photo on my phone. As I hit delete, for an instant, I am 19 again and my mind is... Continue Reading →
Getting through an hour without you seemed impossible at first. How in the world then could we have made it through the last 10 years without you? Life has a way of moving forward without us having much control over it. In the beginning, it was about learning to survive and make it through another... Continue Reading →
Does this Roller Coaster ever stop? 