Written by hopefulmidwesterner

Nola

It was late summer, 2005. I was 19, and home, anxiously awaiting my return to The Ohio State University for my sophomore year. We were still on quarters then, so I was always the last of my friends to head back to school in the fall, due to our late start. I was lonely. All my friends were back in their folds at school, but I was stuck home. My summer job as a lifeguard at the local country club pool had ended. Having had my fill of the sun that summer, I was watching a lot of TV.

On August 29, 2005, I remember watching, horrified, […]

Written by hopefulmidwesterner

Partnerships

After Peer Support Specialist Core Training in Chicago, I was in touch with one of our instructors. She and I worked together to gather some insight from my side of the fence… Check it out, my thoughts were published!!! […]

Written by hopefulmidwesterner

Penny Park & Grace

Over the past few years, I have come to the realization that I have been a feminist for quite some time. I’ve seen and pointed out the inequality that my gender has afforded me on many occasions that are only recently coming back to my memory. I’m fairly certain this has been the case since before Kindergarten… Allow me to explain: […]

Written by hopefulmidwesterner

Peer Support Training

As some of you might have read in my last post, I spent last week up in Chicago taking the Peer Support Specialist Core Training. Holy cow; what a nearly indescribable week it was!

Day 1: There were 22 of us, with two instructors. We spent the morning talking about the definitions of the Peer Support Specialist (which we fine-tuned throughout the week) and shared our […]

Written by hopefulmidwesterner

Bump in the Road

FIRST OFF LET’S START HERE The last post I made took a lot out of me. I didn’t realize how much, until two weeks went by and I hadn’t posted again. I didn’t feel like I had much to say, especially after what was said in Not-A-Mother’s Day. I worried that I wouldn’t have enough to say for a substantial follow-up. Truth is, at the moment I feel like I don’t. And I’m sorry. NOW […]

Written by hopefulmidwesterner

Not-A-Mother’s Day

I debated for hours yesterday if it was appropriate to share this information on my blog, and Martin helped me decide that I am the only one to decide this… and if I can’t put my thoughts down here, where can I? So I’ll say it: Yesterday, Mother’s Day in the United States, was particularly difficult for me […]

Written by hopefulmidwesterner

Joy

In today’s post I’d love for you to take a few minutes and experience things with me.

Joy – Gioia – Alegría – Freude – Glæde – áthas – Gaudium – Gleði – Glädje […]