Perpetual Motion
I’ve been struggling to get Bug an ADHD diagnosis. I think his pediatrician is one of those old school types. She’s previously told me that he needs more discipline. I’m not sure where she got the idea that I don’t run a tight ship. My kids are respectful, and we have rules and boundaries in […]
The Calming of The Raptors
There was a time when I would have described parenting my two children as being akin to trying to herd a flock of velociraptors single file through a crowded mall on Black Friday. I’m not sure exactly when that changed, or if we’ve just given in and embraced the chaos, but the little ones […]
Kitten Season
You know kitten season is upon us when you walk into the rescue intending to take a dog from one location to another, and walk out of the rescue with the dog…and a kitten that now lives in your keffiyeh and cries whenever you try to put him down. Welcome to kitten season
I Love You
Hey. Hey you. Over there. I don’t know you. Not personally. We’ve never met. But I love you. I love the way you move through this world, trying your best. I love the way you wake up every morning, even when it’s hard. I love you when you drag yourself out of bed and move […]
Olivia: Or Loving A Cat With FeLeuk
I volunteer with a local cat rescue. In addition to fostering cats, I spend Fridays at the rescue office helping folks adopt, scooping poop, and making sure all these lovely four legged furballs are fed and watered and loved on. My rescue currently has a cat in the office named Olivia. Olivia is the sweetest, […]
Rose and Halim
Let me tell you about my grandparents, Tata Rose and Jiddo Halim. They grew up in Haifa as neighbors. Jiddo’s family were Christians, and Tata’s were Jewish. It didn’t matter then. They both thought of themselves as Palestinians. Jiddo was always in Tata’s kitchen, rifling through the pantry. Their parents were friends. Jiddo called Tata’s […]
My Name Is Aila
One of the most frustrating things about existing as a person of color in our society is the subtle ways in which you are not considered a person. I’m Arab. I’m Palestinian by way of Lebanon. I’m olive skinned, dark-haired, and I bellydance. I do a mean dabke. I wear a keffiyeh. I walk into […]
On Community
We can’t survive without a community, and the single most powerful act of compassion we have at our disposal is our willingness to risk everything to keep each other afloat. In a society where we often find ourselves subjugated, alone, and struggling, our most powerful weapon is our willingness to love each other.
Share The Love (Even With Yourself)
I spend a lot of time worrying if I’m kind enough. I always want to be the person who responds to a situation with compassion and empathy. And sometimes that backfires. Sometimes people take advantage of that empathy and compassion. One of the hardest things I’ve had to learn is to share that empathy and […]
On Hopepunk
We live in a world where many of us struggle every day. We struggle to be heard, to be valued, to survive in a universe that seems set on making our lives as difficult as possible. Some of us are struggling to pay the bills, to eat, to raise kids on our own. It’s hard […]