Quote of the week:
“The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” –Elisabeth Kübler Ross
What I’m reading:
A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis
With or Without You by Caroline Leavitt
What I’m listening to:
The Mothers by Brit Bennett
Plus a number of podcasts:
-Eckhart Tolle: “Finding Death Before Death Finds You“
-Writer, Mother, Monster: “Motherhood and Mental Health“
-On Purpose with Jay Shetty: “Esther Perel on Finding Love and the Real Reason Couples Break Up“
-We Can Do Hard Things: “Our Bodies“
What I’m watching:
-“False Positive” on Hulu, which was very weird and reminded me that I wanted to watch a documentary on a similar topic…
-“Baby God” on HBO is that documentary
Writing news:
Psst–My very first piece for the New York Times will be published next week!!!
What I’m talking about:
My dad. Grief. Mental fog. At some point, I’ll care about what’s going on in the world again, but that point is not right now.
Weirdest thing I googled this week:
Roadrunner bird symbolism.
Interesting things I learned this week:
- The Goo Goo Dolls were originally called the Sex Maggots
- Costco food courts sell enough ice cream cups and sundaes each year to fill more than 32 average-size swimming pools
- The concept of Body Mass Index (BMI) was created by a Belgian astronomer in the 1800s (because he was trying to quantify “the ideal man”). Basically, it’s silly that it’s in use today to tell us what weights are healthy
What I’m grateful for:
The outpouring of love my family has received in the wake of my dad’s passing. It’s been such a strange and surreal time. I’ve been saying that grief is one of the worst human experiences that can reveal the very best in people. Thank you to everyone who has reached out. My dad could be quite sentimental and I know he would have tears in his eyes seeing all the support my mom, sister, and I have received.
