"Some memories never leave your bones. Like salt in the sea; they become part of you." ~Unknown Nostalgia is a bittersweet emotional state characterized by a sentimental longing or wistful affection for the past. It blends the joy of recalling happy memories with the slightly painful realization that the moments are gone and cannot be recovered. I find a lot of similarities between nostalgia and grief. Both emotions carry pain and sadness, mixed with the happiness of another

It has been 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Since that time, we have lived through slavery, countless wars, catastrophes, and total injustice from a government that would rather see us starve than give us the basic necessities and human rights we so rightly deserve. The negativity we see so often on social media looks like the future is doomed and we have no way of getting out unscathed. We’re often faced with racism, classism, homophobia, ab

"Having a place to go is a home. Having someone to love is a family. Having both is a blessing." ~Donna Hedges Most families work the same way. A set of relationships that are intertwined and become like branches that grow from a tree. A foundation that is so intricate it has the ability to stretch out and affect the other life forms nearby. When most people think about what family means to them, they will likely tell you it consists of parents, siblings, aunts and uncles,

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord" ~Ephesians 6:4 Yesterday was Father’s Day. And I have mixed feelings about that day. I have my reasons for my apprehensive attitude. I suffered a lot of pain at the hands of my father and still hold a lot of bitterness and resentment towards him. A part of me wants to forgive him, but that would only be for my benefit. Something I have learned through the years

"Most people will never understand how painful it is to watch your entire world fall apart and be expected to keep going." ~ Unknown !!TRIGGER WARNING!! I promised you real and authentic. Here it is. Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance. The five stages of grief. Ha, grief. Grief is a funny thing. And a horrible thing. But it also makes you think too. Love, forgiveness, aging, meaning of life. Makes you see things for the way they are. Makes you appreciate

"Not everything that weighs you down is yours to carry." -Anonymous Depression, grief, loss, mental illness, fear, and trauma. Often times, we are forced to face the things that make us uncomfortable. Instead, we avoid the negative and turn to substances to drown out the noise rather than taking things head on. In my life, I have had my fair share of horrible circumstances. I made many bad choices and denied having any problems. I blamed others for a lot of my issues. In t