Choo-choo! My heart nearly escaped my body with giddy excitement as I waited for the little red trolley to appear from around the bend. I gleefully watched as he opened the front door, happily put each arm through his fuzzy sweater and tied up his white-laced sneakers, singing the words to “Won’t You Be My Neighbor.” Fred Rogers, the main character of Mister Rogers Neighborhood, one of my favorite shows as a child, was a gentle spirit with a calming voice that instantly put me at ease. His beautiful messages about love, learning, empathy, acceptance, and the power of community inspired me. He had an uncanny ability to connect so effortlessly with people - making everyone feel seen and valued while reminding us that we have so much to learn from one another.

History is uncomfortable for a reason. It’s uncomfortable because taking a magnifying glass to the awful things that happened in our past are painful. It’s uncomfortable because it’s unfathomable. And it’s uncomfortable because it’s inhumane and fundamentally wrong on so many levels. But the reality is that facts are facts. 

Wishing away history doesn’t erase the reality of our past. When we hold space for the hurtful parts of our nation’s story, no matter how difficult it feels to witness, it gives us the opportunity to learn and make better choices. To learn from our mistakes. 

We’re in the thick of it, people. We’re currently in a place that we’ve watched many parents go before us, wondering how the hell they made it out alive and when the heck they ate, showered, or found a tiny speck of time to themselves. I’m talking tryouts, practices, dance competitions, auditions, games, playoffs, and the all-out debauchery that is youth sports and the blissful, yet crazy phase of our lives that consumes the majority of our nights and weekends.

Newsflash: nobody in the world is able to give 150% every day. Some days, I can give 150%, and some days, I can only give 4%. On those 4% days, I have often found myself internally beating myself up about not being able to give 150%, and maybe you’ve found yourself doing the same. The aftermath of that thinking is that I spend the entire time tormenting myself about the fact that I don’t have the time to rest, which means my brain and body are unable to actually take that time to recharge. Those negative thoughts take away from the fact that I need to rest, so when the next day comes, I don’t feel any better - and sometimes, I feel even worse.

We all exchange “hellos” and “how’s the family” pleasantries on a daily basis. As we go about our daily lives, we have conversations with people at work, our kid’s activities, and the grocery store. So, I want you to think for a second about how you respond to those types of pleasantries. What is your typical response when someone asks how you are doing? If, in reality, your life is in shambles and you’re struggling to exist, do you simply reply with “I’m good, thanks,” or do you respond with the truth of how you’re doing? It’s a tough thing, I know, and I know there is a line here, but why do we as humans always feel the need to show others that we are ok, even if we are not? And at what point did it become unacceptable not to be ok?

Getting a tattoo has been on my bucket list for years, and in all honesty, I’ve never been quite ready, unsure about what I would get and if I could stand the pain. If it weren’t for the fact that I despise needles and sometimes faint at the sight of blood, I would have loved to have become a nurse, but alas, here we are. About a month ago, a few of my closest friends started talking about getting one, and the timing just felt right.

I vividly remember being at a 40th birthday party for a relative when I was a kid and thought to myself, “Wow, 40 is really old.” Many of the gifts given at this party were gag gifts that included Depends underwear, a cane with a horn and flashing lights, and insanely large glasses to help with failing eyesight.