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
You know that specific feeling? It’s 8:00 AM. You’re holding your phone, coffee in the other hand, staring at a blank text box. It’s your friend’s birthday, or maybe your sibling’s, and you want to say something that truly lands. You don’t want to send a novel—who has the time to read a three-paragraph essay … Read more
Last Friday, I found myself standing in the middle of a crowded stationery aisle, staring at a wall of greeting cards until the glitter started to make my eyes water. I was looking for a card for a friend I’ve known since we were ten. I picked up a card that said “To a Great … Read more