What do you say to someone whose birthday falls in the middle of the worst year of their life? I did not know the answer to that question until my friend Amara lost her father in February and turned thirty-four in October. I remember sitting with my phone open, the cursor blinking in an empty … Read more
She read it three times. Then she called me. And for almost a full minute, she did not say anything. Just quiet breathing on the other end of the line. Then — “How did you know exactly what I needed to hear?” I did not have a magical answer. I just wrote what was true. … Read more
I remember sitting at my desk, staring at a blank greeting card, feeling completely paralyzed. My mentor, the person who had guided me through my toughest professional hurdles, was having a big day. I wanted to send the perfect happy birthday wishes. But how do you say happy birthday to mentor without sounding like a … Read more