Writing
blog, newsletter, & articles
The Soul Stories
Think of Substack as both a cozy blog and an insightful newsletter landing in your inbox. The Soul Stories was started in 2017 to connect others through shared experiences. I share stories about love, loss, resilience, and how radiance emerges from our breaking points. My story. Your stories. Our stories.
I am thrilled you are here – I hope you resonate with the words and stories within this inclusive community.
At first I was afraid, actually petrified...
“At first I was afraid, I was petrified…” Gloria Gaynor’s timeless lyrics echoed in my mind. For most people, riding a bike is second nature. For me, it represents generational trauma.
I couldn't believe he did this!
It’s the smallest moments that matter most. And one act of kindness can shift our energy, outlook, and lens through which we view the world. Truthfully, I’m a giver and a reformed pleaser. I don’t receive with ease. Yet, earlier this week, I found myself with four different coffees from four different cafes on my desk:
When synchronicity brings us together
“My life was about to change. But when, I had no idea. Timing is everything. And not just in music.” These are the opening lines from my novel, It Could Be Worse. And they perfectly describe an unexpected glimmer last week.
Mother’s Day—It Can Be Complicated
Mothering. Motherhood. Motherless. Unmothered. The root of these words—mother—can be incredibly loving yet also triggering, right? I was thinking about motherhood, not just with Mother’s Day approaching, but also because of the books that I write.
Articles & ESSAYS
Click on each to read my articles in Moms Don’t Have Time To, Medium, Thrive, Grown and Flown, and more.
How Do I Let Go?
Published on Medium
I plopped onto the cold, hard bathroom floor and cried. A downpour with no warning whatsoever. It gutted me. Just when I thought I’d adapted to becoming an early empty nester. This is not how it’s supposed to be. This is not what we planned.
When Mother is a Verb
Published on Medium
A brief and unfamiliar twinge tickled my belly. The first few times, I thought I’d imagined this fluttering sensation. As the months passed, I recognized this movement was life growing inside of me. What once felt like the flapping of butterfly wings morphed to feisty kicks and waves.
Conversations with Dara Levan
Published on Voyage Miami
My desire to connect through writing began as a young girl. When my grandmother lived in a nursing home, I interviewed the residents and wrote their stories. I was 12 years old at the time and living in my hometown, North Miami Beach, Florida. And a voracious reader of all genres both then and now.
I Needed to Get Back to Caring for Myself, but First I Needed to Get Out of My Pajamas
But as I have grown into motherhood and my late 40s, I’m realizing that pausing is self-care. It’s self-love. It’s self-nurturing. Don’t we need that now more than ever?
To My Freshman Son, Why Aren’t You Happy to Be Home?
Months, weeks, days, minutes. It felt like another birth. My stomach even clenched with anticipation. I couldn’t wait for you to arrive. And then you did. You greeted the dogs first. You met our new puppy, Auggie. I stood. I watched. I waited.
From the Womb to the World
Our 2002 babies were born during an unstable, unsettling time. Now they’re grown, flying from the nest, during another crisis in our country. The lessons they are learning transcend the classroom.
Are Fathers and Dads the Same?
Not all of us are raised in a nurturing environment. Not all people have a dad who is healthy in mind, body, and spirit. I am thankful that my husband is a man who loves our children unconditionally. I deeply appreciate his significant, positive impact on our family.
We Are Halfway Through The Year: Let’s Revisit Our Resolutions
It’s the beginning of July. We are halfway through the year. Sit with that statement for a moment. Stop what you’re doing and let that realization sink in.