Where I've Written: A List

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Currently, at a child sized table outside my daughter’s ballet class, next to my giggling son plugged into his tablet.

At the old Birdbath Bakery on Columbus the day after the city was hushed by a February blizzard.

In my bed on a Saturday afternoon with a locked door and the joyful sound of my husband playing with our children in the living room easing my mind.

On many runs around the lower loop of Central Park in all seasons, feet pounding words loose and lungs expanding enough to breathe those words back out on a page as soon as I get home.

At a small table in the back of Irving Farm where I know the lack of wi-fi will keep me focused on the page.

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On Art & Heaven & Making Mistakes

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“I don’t think there are artists in heaven because in heaven you don’t make mistakes”.

These words were spoken by my 8-year-old daughter last week. The daughter who has a perfectionist streak because she shares the DNA of two perfectionists.

She spoke them calmly to my husband. She was reflective. Curious. A deep thinker in a tiny body
I’ve been thinking about those words all week.

To be an artist is to make mistakes.

God loves creation.

There are no mistakes in heaven.

I don’t know how to reconcile all of these things.

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Something Important

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“Hey Mom”, Norah asked as we sat at the table – one of us coloring and the other meal planning. It was a rare Sunday afternoon when the apartment was quiet while Conor took an extra long nap and Brett went for an extra long run, allowing for slow, uninterrupted conversations with my first grader. “I have a question for you. When I’m a mom someday, what if I want to have a job but I also don’t want to hire a nanny? What do I do with my kids?”

Apparently Norah wanted to bypass a couple decades of tough conversations and jump right into the mom guilt arena.

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New Year Benediction

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Last year, another writer challenged me to write a benediction for myself in January. I had already finished color coding my goals and filling out my planner, so it felt like a shift to speak kindness and grace over myself instead of expectation and striving. A good shift.

Benediction – the utterance or bestowing of a blessing

In Latin bene means “well” and dicere means “say”.

Here is what I wrote last year:

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On Identity & Claiming Gifts

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A few months ago I attended a women’s conference here in New York City. The theme of the conference was hope. On Saturday, we had the opportunity to attend one of about 20 different breakout sessions offered. One title caught my eye. I wanted to go to it, but felt I didn’t really belong there. I was sure the other women attending would see right through me and label me an imposter immediately. As my eyes wandered to other session titles, I let fear drive my feet away from the room where women were gathering for the session I wanted to attend. Then the emcee walked back on the stage and grabbed the microphone.

“I just want to encourage you for a moment. What is the one session you are too scared to attend?” I froze as my eyes darted back to the scary title. “Would you consider going there today? Don’t let fear or embarrassment hold you back from where you should be.” I was certain she was talking directly to me. I gathered up some confidence, and turned around. My heart raced as I walked back in to the session titled “Hope as an Artist”.

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