I have never known quite what to do with the word brave. It shows up so quickly whenever people witness suffering, ready in their mouths like a ceremonial offering. You’re so brave. They say it softly, reverently, as though bravery is the natural companion to illness, grief, fear, survival. As though courage blooms automatically inside … Continue reading “You’re so Brave”
There is a peculiar loneliness in suffering that cannot decide how visible it is allowed to become. A terrible arithmetic that governs and if you step wrong, there are serious consequences. Maybe not in the short run, but absolutely over time. Speak too often of pain, exhaustion, grief, disability, illness, fear—and suddenly your humanity is … Continue reading The Burden of Honesty in Suffering
There is a quiet, particular grief in watching the scaffolding of the health care system meant to hold you sway, splinter, and give. Not all at once, not dramatically enough to draw alarm—just a subtle leaning at first, a hairline fracture you convince yourself can be repaired. Until one day you realize you are carrying … Continue reading The Erosion of Hope in Terminal Illness
When we add up all of the chaos, only exacerbated by the perpetual news cycle, the burden of trying to find truth when no one gives us everything, it is entirely reasonable to feel paralyzed, to feel as though all hope is lost, to not know where to turn. Whenever I turn on the news, … Continue reading Navigating Life’s Turmoil: A Call for Connection and Action
No Half Measures 