Author: sarainrealife
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Belonging to a Name
Hi! My name is Sara, with no “h.” I’m starting with my name because it is a foundational piece of my identity, and identity is much of what this book is about. When I think about names, I think about the scene in the film adaptation of The Crucible where Daniel Day Lewis’s character exclaims…
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ADHD Made Me Do It
A couple of weeks ago someone tweeted their very important hot take (EYE ROLL) that ADD/ADHD are not real diagnoses and just excuses for laziness and sin. My friend Cam responded with how he had sinned that morning by struggling with executive dysfunction. So, taking his lead and for some fun, awareness, and in honor…
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38 Favorite Meals on the Eve of 39
Tomorrow is my birthday 🙂 When we were growing up, at every birthday we would be asked to share advice from however many years had passed. Today for a fun challenge, an accounting of my favorite meals or dishes over the last 38 years of life. 38. MawMaw’ maccaroni and cheese (which I have recently-ish…
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Excerpts From my Work in Progress: Manuela meets John-Mark
Manuela gratefully drained the last of her chai latte from her go-to sermon writing spot, ChocoLate coffee. After two hours of reading and writing, she was ready for a break. She crossed the busy street to her favorite local bookstore, Eagle Eye. She loved to browse cookbooks, and the quirky coffee mugs, socks, and stationery.…
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Hopes for the World
Yesterday I ended my day with the CPE residents who have held so much grief throughout the system. It was my honor to listen to, witness, and hold their grief as we colored, journaled, and talked. I was grateful for the opportunity to offer a blessing of their hands as a closing ritual, and deeply…
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Food and Comfort
I’ve been thinking a lot about food today. “Shocker. When are you not thinking about food?” Fair. But today it was specifically about comfort food. I didn’t know my day was going to go long today. I didn’t know it would intertwine stewarding the grief of two families at once. I didn’t know I would…
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The Shape of Grief
The shape of grief is a cyclone; a whirlwind. It’s a constant twirl that shows us each of its facets, in time. Too dense for “thoughts and prayers,” too deep to understand. Too painful for trite platitudes, too large to ignore. The shape of grief is a surgical mask. A painful reminder of a bygone…
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Enchanted by Encanto
The first time I saw the preview for Dinsey’s new movie, Encanto, my eyes filled with tears. They were mostly happy tears. Superficially, I had just gotten a haircut that I did not love, but when I saw Mirabel Madrigal rocking a similar length and style, it made me feel like I could manage with…
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The Holiness of Tears
I recently learned something interesting about the make-up of tears. Each tear has a unique design based on the reason for its existence. Though they are as individual as snowflakes, they have similar components. Emotive tears resulting from sorrow or joy have a similar chemical structure, and sorrow-based tears contain both toxins that accumulate in…
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Reflections on My Annual Potterthon
I’ve had a tradition for several years now, of watching all the Harry Potter movies at the beginning of the year. This ritual started one year during a seminary winter break when I got snowed in at my parents’ house with my sisters. The memory of watching the movies with oodles of blankets, a crackling…
SaraInRealLife 