ARTICLES BY COLLEEN CHAO
Okay, I’ve guzzled two cups of organic black decaf low-acid mold-free coffee and am ready to attempt an update. ? I’ll say it again: There’s no vocab for this journey, so I just kind of stab at words and pray they make a wee bit of sense.
He could find his way to my doorstep blindfolded. He always takes the same route—by way of prolonged physical illness, sustained stress, or painful loss. Without fail, he shows up at the most inconvenient times and walks in as if he owns the place. He
I remember you before you were beautiful. Before you stopped people in their tracks and made jaws drop and heads turn. You, who are now the fairest of all—were once the pity of all. You were a bloodied and abandoned newborn, left in an open
I’ll never forget Miss Moss, with her Coke-bottle glasses and a disability that left her slow and kind. She loved writing notes of encouragement even though her handwriting was chicken-scratchy and sloped down the page. And Earl Roland. He was a hunched old man who loved
I’m not in a wheelchair. I’m not on chemo. I’ve ended up in the hospital only two times, for brief outpatient visits. To see me, you’d assume I’m the picture of perfect health. But underneath this strong exterior lies deep weakness. I’ve been given the
This morning I woke up in a warm bed with a roof over my head. I took a hot shower, brewed a pot of coffee, and enjoyed breakfast made from my well-stocked fridge and pantry. Electricity, phone, and plumbing worked at my beck and call. Compared
I’m exhausted. To the marrow of my bones, I am spent and weary. A few days ago, I drove up a winding hill, fresh after fall’s first storm, alone in my car; and the tears started. They were longing to spill out before Him, to
She was the It Girl in college: drop-dead gorgeous, smart, with a slew of handsome suitors and a voice that earned her a recording label. She was going places, and we all anticipated the day when we would say, “I knew Lisa Kolbo before she
**This article in no way intends to address the complex matters of mental health nor minimize the importance of modern medicine and psychiatric help that is available to those who suffer. I always encourage those who struggle with depression to seek professional support.** Depression first
It was the last place on earth I wanted to be. I’d always loved flying, but this airplane, with all my worldly belongings crammed into the luggage compartment below me, symbolized the death of my dreams. Just two months before I’d scored a job as
Okay, I’ve guzzled two cups of organic black decaf low-acid mold-free coffee and am ready to attempt an update. ? I’ll say it again: There’s no vocab for this journey, so I just kind of stab at words and pray they make a wee bit of sense.
He could find his way to my doorstep blindfolded. He always takes the same route—by
I remember you before you were beautiful. Before you stopped people in their tracks and
I’ll never forget Miss Moss, with her Coke-bottle glasses and a disability that left her
I’m not in a wheelchair. I’m not on chemo. I’ve ended up in the hospital
This morning I woke up in a warm bed with a roof over my head. I
I’m exhausted. To the marrow of my bones, I am spent and weary. A few
She was the It Girl in college: drop-dead gorgeous, smart, with a slew of handsome
**This article in no way intends to address the complex matters of mental health nor
It was the last place on earth I wanted to be. I’d always loved flying,
