My Journal

I’m currently sitting on a couch in a small apartment in Tuscany, drinking tea and making bread. How did I get here? Don’t I live in Iceland? Yes, I do. But about a year ago, my husband and I decided we needed to make some changes. Somehow, those changes eventually brought me here. Iceland has been a difficult place for me to live. I’m sure there are plenty of people who thrive there, but I haven’t always been one of them. At the same time, it has given me a lot that I didn’t

Like most middle school people, I was very unfortunate-looking, and my self-esteem was nonexistent. My body was changing, and I could see the changes in others; it was a confusing time full of comparison and judgment. I desperately wanted to be cool, but I also desperately wanted not to be me.

This morning, I was up and walking around, trying to get my kids ready for school. They had woken me up with pleasant snuggles and whispered birthday greetings in my ear. It all started out great, but it soon turned into little moments of chaos as we all got ready for the day. My daughter has been enjoying sick days on the couch, so she has started asking to be home. I had to tell her no several times, and then console her when she didn't get her wish. My son typically wander

There is a way we see anger. Hysterical. Erratic. Unstable. Anger becomes excess. Grief becomes insanity. Tears become evidence of brokenness— instead of proof that something is real. So we learn to quiet ourselves. To repress what is heavy. To carry what has nowhere else to go. This is accumulation. We are told it’s a requirement. To hide anger, grief. To quietly ferry the emotions of our ancestors. Generations have watched their children their bodies, their innocence, their

We flew in on a tiny plane, not really knowing what to expect. The Isle of Lewis and Harris, the Hebrides islands just north of mainland...

I recently went to London for a little solo break. I wanted to see some West End shows and walk around the city for a few days. Since I moved to Iceland, I've been trying to travel a little more and mark off some bucket list items. I love the theatre and I don't go enough. My hotel was about an hour's walk to the theatre, and there was a transportation strike when I arrived. It basically started the day I arrived and ended the day I left, like the universe was telling me I ne

Moving to a new country is never simple. Three years into my Icelandic journey, I’m still navigating uncertainty, regret, resilience, and...

A harmful wave of sunlight shines, burning brightly, distracting avoidance. Hope isn't necessarily darkness— discovering a path towards glimpses of light. Learning in solitude, searching for something deep within to find. Immersed in meaningful words that turn insignificant, deceptions to smiles. Who am I meant to be—someone, to be—something, to find joy in being?

Young, smooth and labile Trusting with good intentions Earned through confident words Inflecting swaying candour. Put your hands here...

My husband and I were sitting in our house in Portland having one of our final discussions about moving to Iceland. We had several, but...

My family and I are spending a few weeks in the Canary Islands. Iceland is very cold at the moment and I wanted some sunshine to recharge...

It's ironic, sometimes I have so many stories in my head, countless stories that I want to tell. Then when I sit down and put pen to...

When I was small, I often woke up in the middle of the night, sensing things in the darkness. Sometimes I'd wake up frozen with fear, unable to move. I had nightmares and then panic attacks. When I could, I would jump out of bed to find a safe haven. My mother would be watching TV or sleeping soundly in bed. I'd quickly climb into her embrace, always welcoming and cozy. She'd snuggle me into her chest and rock slowly back and forth. Her skin was always warm and the left overs

Hold it in Deep down, knives in the nothing. Turn, twisting, sinking Together bound Ignorance is bliss Less joy Look over there Down...

Time aches Lost Looming in eternity Long silence Booming still Green awaiting hours of day Alone across the frost Biting nibbles of...

We moved to Iceland on September 5th 2022. I had big plans for myself as I always do. I was raised by dreamers and that seems to have...

My partner and I pretty much talk about everything. Or, I should say, I talk about everything and he listens and makes comments here and...

I’ve always had cats, from what I can remember. We were the people who took in stray neighbourhood cats, like, the really ugly ones. When...

One second, or maybe a quarter of a second. The time between one choice, a huge choice… in hindsight, a life changing decision. It was...

A little over 10 years ago I started seeing my therapist. I was suicidal, I had been for a while. Despair has pretty much taken over my...

I fell in love with you We embraced We danced We held on We joined We said goodbye We spoke We wrote We traveled We understood We knew We...

I didn't know anything that big could be so quiet. Quiet lightening Clouds rising Lightened sky monsters The storm anticipated Wet flesh...

I was scrolling through Instagram this morning and I came across a video of a small boy walking alone to the Polish border from Ukraine....

I was sitting in a waiting room at my doctors office. I was scared. I had just received, potentially, some horrible news. I waited a long...