What I Learned | Summer 2021

And just like that, August is over, heralding the unofficial start of autumn. This season was a heavy one. The humidity made it almost unbearable to spend much time outdoors, and news from around the world served as nothing but a wet blanket, certainly no good for anyone’s mental health. But there were spaces to find happiness in the little moments. I caught up on some reading, watched some wonderful movies, and spent time with the people I most care about.

I’m looking forward to cooler weather, new adventures, and lots of exploration in my writing process in this new season. But first, I’m joining Emily P. Freeman and the rest of the writing community in sharing what I’ve learned in the last few months and saying farewell to summer.

I will read anything with a dog on the cover.

Fiction or non-fiction. Children’s book or six-hundred-page novel. If it has a dog on the cover, I’m reading it. Send all recs my way, please.

Emotional healing isn’t linear.

The way it’s always worked with me is that I’ll think that I’ve healed from emotional trauma in my past and then (bam!) it smacks me upside the head. That was the case this season while I was continuing on some deep work in acceptance and forgiveness. No path to any kind of healing is straight. Scratch that. No path of any kind is straight. There are lots of curves and corkscrews ahead and behind us. It’s all about leaning in and remembering to breathe.

I have come to love the game of rugby.

Rugby has intrigued me for years, but this summer, I really got into it. I did a deep dive into the rules of the game, the names and responsibilities of different positions on the field, and I followed two teams throughout the rugby season. It’s such an incredible game, offering athleticism and teamwork, but also the civility and respect that some other sports seem to be missing.

The 2020(1) Olympics were a game-changer in many ways.

I’ve always enjoyed the Olympics. Summer or winter, I’m happy to spend two weeks planted in front of the television, keeping a close eye on medal counts and following my favorite athletes. What I like most about the games is the diversity that you’ll see in any event. Young and old, people of all races and ethnicities representing over two hundred countries, competing together in a sport they’ve likely grown up loving. But this year, the Olympics had a more powerful meaning.

After the games were postponed last year because of the worldwide COVID-19 outbreak, watching these athletes march in the parade of nations during the opening ceremony, and seeing the pride on their faces, made many people emotional, myself included. There is a sense of unity in knowing that we all experienced this terrible thing together, and while it might not be over yet, we will get through it together.

Another way the Olympics were hugely impactful was on the mental health front. Simone Biles made headlines when she stepped away from an event in the name of mental health, but she wasn’t the only one who talked about it. A handful of other athletes shared their own struggle with depression or anxiety, bringing light to a topic that is often stigmatized and pushed back into the dark.

I’m about to go on a journey through ramen.

I cook for the people I care about and one of those people really enjoys ramen. I don’t eat it, so I haven’t experienced the complexities of this dish for myself, but that’s about to change. I’ve made it my goal to nail a great bowl of ramen. One, because I want to be able to make my favorite person’s favorite food, and two, because I love a challenge. I’m in the researching phase now, but soon, I’ll be spending hours in the kitchen making dashi, chashu, and tare so that I can eventually create a good bowl of Tonkotsu ramen. Expect an essay or two while I’m on this journey.

It’s okay to let go of something so that you can hold on tighter elsewhere.

One of my favorite Instagrammers of all time (Rachael Kincaid) decided to quit Instagram this summer, and it made me really sad, but also, I can really, really understand why. Sharing a little bit of yourself with the public can be exhausting and time-consuming. I feel that and I don’t have anywhere near the size of following that she did. The thing about social media platforms is that they take and take and they never really give back. Sure, you can find enjoyment in some of the people that you follow, but at the end of the day, you’re finding enjoyment in the lives of other people rather than focusing on living your own.

Rachael so generously shared thoughtful and inspiring content, insightful hot takes on touchy subjects like race and politics, explorations in faith and marriage, cute videos of her kids singing in the car, and great ideas for living a simple life in a very complicated world. For a decade, she shared a little bit of herself with the public. I’m grateful for everything that I learned through her example, but I’m also grateful for the reminder that it’s okay to let go of something if it means getting to hold on tighter to something more meaningful and necessary. Thanks, Rachael. <3

I will never get tired of learning new things.

Anyone who knows me well understands my deep affection for The West Wing. I’ve watched the series (all 156 episodes) several dozen times and know most of the words to every scene by heart. The game of chess is something that is referenced a lot in the show, even played in a few episodes, and so I thought it was high time that I learned how to play. So, this summer, I sat down and researched the game, downloaded an app to play with others, and have been making new friends that I would never have met otherwise. I will never, ever, grow tired of learning new things.

I thought I knew what real love felt like, but I was wrong.

Now, I know. To be continued…