publishing peace

I feel like this is what people usually think I do when I tell them I write on a blog, when really, I usually just write what I'm thinking about. And there's gonna be that in this post as well, but it's been like, two months since I posted on this blog. And I'm sure you've all been so concerned! Wondering if I'm okay! Wondering if I sustained brain damage and that's why I stopped writing! Well, let me clarify: I am good. No life-threatening injuries have been sustained (yet or ideally ever, pray for me). I didn't drop off the face of the earth because I wasn't doing well. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to write about after Europe. Maybe a little piece of me was even worried that none of you would like to hear my thoughts anymore, because they're not fancy Europe-inspired thoughts. But there have been some things going on in my life, and some thoughts I've been having, and I'd just like to share with you, in a random assortment th...

Dear Emily, Right now, you aren't sure of anything. You're not as bright-eyed as you were. You're a little jaded, a bit hurt by life and the world. And you're not sure if you can ever be the person you were. I'm here to tell you that you can't. You can't be the person you were anymore, and that is beautiful. You don't know what's coming and I can't prepare you for it, but looking back to where you are, I can only tell you the things you'll want to remember. We'll start with the kids. You'll want to remember how they pronounce the English words. You'll want to take a lot of videos. And pictures. And you'll want to remember the times they laughed at your goofiness.  You'll want to remember the considerate translation of your host mom and how your host dad brags about you to all their friends. "She understands Italian so well!" "She sings so well!" And you'll want to remember their fr...