Monica’s Wedding Playlist
To me, “roommate” means something even stronger than “friend.”
Laura graduated from Calvin in 2015 with a degree in art and writing. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, with her husband Josh and dog Rainy. She works as an IT support analyst and enjoys painting, rock climbing, and exploring the city.
Sufjan and Me
In that crowd of spotlighted onlookers I was not alone.
Borders
The line delineating old life and new life is blurry, and many aspects will never be the same.
Between Me and God
God is supposed to be my father, but when I think of a father I think of an empty space.
The Lost Era of Hearts in Atlantis
Truth is relative, and there are monsters in the world that confuse what’s real and what’s good.
A Very Rainy Lockdown
For me, an unemployed expat in a lockdown, having a dog means having purpose.
Pennywise, Trump, and a Small Town Girl
Folksy places have their dark side.
I’m Not Okay
After six weeks of unstructured days and minimal obligations, I no longer harbor illusions about what I might someday accomplish if I “just had more time.”
Lithium
Lithium might have been a symbol of comfort and release to these artists, but it’s not without its drawbacks.
Preservation
As the days now grow shorter and the nights darker, I try to let the metaphor of autumn give me hope instead of melancholy.
Marriage Advice from Someone Who’s Been Married Eleven Days
Pull those covers all the way over to your side at night. What doesn’t kill him makes him stronger.
A Review of the Books in My Closet I Can’t Get Rid of But Will Never Read
If the title is in a sans-serif font with one word per line on the front cover, you know it must be good.
Onward and Upward
The laughter flowed freely, as if the devastation of the last few days had dammed it up until it burst from us all at once.
Top Ten Things to Do on Roommate Night
Roommate night has sustained us through breakups, engagements, angst, hopes, and now even a pandemic.
Change of Plans
I’d known when Josh and I started dating that I might have to leave. But staying was within our grasp, and it feels nice to know what your future is going to look like.
Laura’s Ultimate Guide to Shelter in Place Productivity
Now that we’ve set a good precedent for productive work, let’s go over how to maintain good health and nutrition during your stay-at-home time.
Blessed Assurance
This time it felt different, like the distance the prayers travel to reach the Lord was shorter than usual.
To the Woman at Kohl’s Who Gave Me Permission to Love My Pale White Skin
But I have to remind myself that the difficulty of others’ situations does not invalidate my own.
The Coastline Paradox
I find myself erasing paragraphs from my drafts in which I apologize for writing it at all.
So, How Does It Feel?
When I was younger, I expected that falling in love would be a transcendental, magical experience, ushering me into that enlightenment which is achieved only on the other side of romance.
Pros and Cons
That’s a heavy con for Madison (Pros: Government job benefits, Roommate Night with my best friends, a church that has become home, cheese).
1 Corinthians 13, 2019
Love never cancels. But where there are conservative and progressive platforms, they will cease; where there are vigorous debates, they will be quieted; where there is a think piece, it will pass away.
Q is for Ten Points
What is a “QINTAR” and why do I “SUQ” so much at this game?
The Pilgrim’s Guide to the Holy Land
You wait to feel something, see a vision, hear a heavenly voice. But it’s quiet. The tomb is empty.
Long Live the Dog Days
Dogs are an antidote to the barriers we set up as a culture.
The Funny One
Making friends, it turns out, meant finding people I didn’t have to be funny around—those I could trust liked me even when I wasn’t confident or cracking jokes
Meditation
As I finished one lady said, “Me too.” The room felt warmer, somehow, after we had all spoken. Our teacher explained more about mindfulness, how it could help with stress.
