Notes from the Middle

Issue No. 11

Some decades felt roomy. Almost indulgent in their length. Others disappeared while we were standing inside them. Neuroscience has an explanation, and the biggest variable isn't age.

Issue No. 10

A quiet, slightly academic word kept surfacing in my conversations this week. Not a glamorous word. Not one that trends on Instagram. But the one I most hope my kids...

Issue No. 09

When I look back at the elementary school years, my nostalgia isn't really about youth or chaos or even my kids being little. It's about purpose. About being needed. About...

Issue No. 08

Someone asked me recently if it's scary to share my writing. I paused. Not to be polite, but to answer honestly. The truth surprised me. It has something to do...

Issue No. 07

Ten families. A New Year's Eve. The grown children arrived already themselves. They didn't need managing or translation. They added to the room instead of pulling at it. This is...

Issue No. 06

I was so busy pre-grieving the empty nest that I missed something obvious. My friends were standing in exactly the same place. And the emotional shape of it feels strangely...