Adults have reservations about everything. You’re either a democrat or a republican, pro gun or anti-gun, pro-life or pro-choice, Fox News or CNN. The status quo dictates we have a strong dislike for the people who oppose our opinion. You literally CANNOT BE a democratic presidential candidate in 2019 who happens to be pro-life and pro-second amendment. Why is that? Why can’t two grown adults with opposing opinions sit down and have an educated, yet respectful, conversation regarding their differences? Why are these questions we still have to ask ourselves in 2019? Better yet, what do we tell our kids?

​Some days I find myself so overcome with emotion, it seems it would be easier if I didn’t feel anything. I try to make myself feel better, remembering that someone out there has it worse than I do. But it doesn’t always help. “I feel, therefore I am” is not necessarily uplifting. The world we live in does not discriminate when it comes to anxiety. We all feel it. Whether it’s to-do’s, never did’s, or should have done’s, we all feel as if we are inadequate, like we are competing against something immovable. All we are really doing is competing against what we think about ourselves and how others perceive our performance. 

​This wasn’t how we envisioned it would be. Not even close. We had visions of welcome home parties, a laughing baby, up-all-night swaddling, and grandparent spoiling dancing in our heads. But not this. And that’s okay.