-
Reflections from the Strawberry Patch
Today, I spoke on a Lived Experience panel for a Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) put on by NAMI Dane County. The talk I gave was originally written in June and references strawberry season and why strawberries are so important to me. As I read through it, I was reminded that there is something in my…
-
Suicide Prevention is about more than Checking in on your friends
September is suicide prevention month. “Checking in on your friends” or publicly offering to “listen to people who are struggling” are two major ideas I see passed around on the internet during this month every year – these ideas are a good starting point, and not the end point. If you’re sharing posts like these,…
-
Reflections on Ten Years
I am 10 years into my second chance at life. Recovery is a journey, not a destination, and it is one that I will be pursuing the rest of my years. I tried to take my own life in July of 2014. Here I am in July of 2024, able to see so much beauty…
-
Why I Make My Bed Every Day
I started making my bed every day when I was 19 years old. It became a daily practice for me at a time in my life when I was in a deep depression, and constantly felt guilty for lacking the energy to do anything. Even if I do nothing else with my day, at least…
-
The Practice of Collecting Fall Leaves
As winter approaches and fall comes to an end, I’ve been reflecting on this annual practice I’ve been doing for about 3-4 years now. Fall is my favorite season because it’s this beautiful reminder that nothing lasts forever, not even the darkness. The fall colors that happen every year brighten up my day-to-day existence and…
-
On ‘Radical Hope’
I was first exposed to the idea of ‘Radical Hope’ while listening to John Green’s podcast The Anthropocene Reviewed as I cooked dinner in my kitchen during the Covid-19 pandemic. I can’t remember which episode it was, but this concept that he introduced has stayed with me for years after. ‘Radical Hope’ means that even…
-
My Story Is Not Over
September is Suicide Prevention Month. As a suicide attempt survivor, I feel compelled to share my story because I believe that doing so can prevent suicide. We are all on our own journeys, and not everyone is yet in a place where they can share theirs – there are a lot more of us survivors…
-
On Picking Black Caps and Life and Love
When my brother and his fiancé first asked me to make the cake for their July wedding, I knew instantly it would involve black caps. My first thought was actually “Perfect! That’s peak black cap season!” Luckily, when I sat down with them to consult on what their wedding cake would be, they favored a…
-
In Gratitude of the Strawberry
There is no better way to celebrate being alive right here in this moment then eating good food made with something in season that you harvested yourself from the earth. I think that strawberries are one of the most beautiful things to exist on our planet. It is magical that we can share the earth…
-
I have a Black Dog, His Name is Depression
Matthew Johnstone’s book and narrated video are still one of the best illustrations of depression that I’ve seen and have helped me conceptualize my own depression in the years since I first saw it. The video is less than five minutes and teaches a lot about what symptoms of depression can look like in everyday…