“You’ll never be a runner”… and the Lies I Told Myself
Every evening after work, my dad took himself to the high school track to run. He’d run seven laps and walk the last one, for
Why “Just Reach Out” is Easier Said Than Done
I want to share something about me; something I have not told many people. There was a time when I used to go back to
The Last Mile
The Hawthorn Half Day ultra race took place May 18, 2019, and in typical Indiana form, it was the hottest day of the year thus
The First Run
On October 8, 2016, three months after I moved from San Diego to Terre Haute, Indiana, I decided to go for a run. I wanted
The Midpoint of Winter: Returning to Light and Making Room for the Future
Today – February 2, 2021 – is the midpoint of winter, which means we’re halfway to spring. It is also Imbolc, which in the Celtic
Looking Back at 2020: A Year of Rebuild
On Memorial Day of 2020, I went for a run. It was a hot and humid day. My anxiety was on high as I ran
What Do You Do About the Family Holiday Card When You’re Getting Divorced?
When you’re going through a divorce, there are a series of steps you have to take. First step, file the documents with the county clerk’s
Commemorating 11 Years of Blogging and a New Beginning
On November 6, I turned 45. In December, Leah’s Thoughts will be 11 years old. That means I’ve been writing this blog since I was
A Yom Kippur Reflection: Forgiving Myself
In March 2019, I attended the Power of Narrative conference in Boston with my close friend, Ann marie. The time spent with her was not
Elul and the End of Summer: The Bridge to a New Year
Today is 15 Elul, 5780. Wait, aren’t we in September, you ask? Yes, technically, today is September 4, 2020. But according to the Jewish calendar,
Back to School and Raising an (Almost) Teen in Unprecedented Times
This is not your typical back-to-school blog post. In September 1987, I started my seventh grade year in middle school. My biggest worry was whether
The Things I Believed to Be True
“Think back on and write down some of the early messages you received about who you were in the world, what was possible, etc. and
A Bittersweet Farewell to the Scrapbook Supplies
When I was in my 20s, I was REALLY into scrapbooking. This was back in the early 2000s, before the days of Facebook and Instagram,
Learning to Dance with Anger
This photo of a shattered dinner plate in my sink … this is anger. Last week, Sophie and I got into an argument that left
The Things I Carry
Sometimes a writing idea will come to me in minutes and I’ll feverishly draft the entire thing in the Notes app of my phone. Other