I mentioned some weeks back that a local urban garden, the Elizabeth Street Sculpture Garden, has been slated for demolition. This had been public knowledge for a while, though I wasn’t aware of it till September. It felt heartbreaking to learn, as the garden has been a quiet, peaceful oasis for me and many thousands of others. City residents have been coming together in support of the garden, and for the past month its fate has been uncertain. The demolition wouldn’t and couldn’t…

I’m about to articulate something that I neither say nor feel frequently: I’m proud of myself. This was a very tough week for me, but toward the end of the week I responded to a challenging situation in a way that made me realize how far I’ve come and how much I’ve grown. It made me glad to be the kind of person I that I am. I thought I’d keep this feeling to myself, let it be private, and write about something…

If at some point you’ve ever found yourself following a bunch of astrology-related Instagram accounts that provide you with a daily horoscope, then you know that they always make big promises of change. Blessings are coming! It’s time to level up! Get ready for the shift! A breakthrough is on the way! I don’t follow these accounts for accurate forecasting, so it’s easy for me to have a laugh when the outsized, ultra-positive predictions roll in. But there have been moments when I…

When I tell people that I’m a dietitian, they tend to assume that I spend most of my time doling out nutrition education. I do of course spend a lot of time translating nutrition research into practical guidance. If I recommend something to one of my clients, I want to be able to explain my reasoning. But nutrition advice—guiding people on how and what to eat—is really only a part of my work. Another part of my job, and sometimes the bigger part,…

This week has given me reminders of impermanence, in ways big and small. First, there’s the fact of it being September, a time of seasonal transition and letting go of summer. There have also been some changes in my neighborhood, which is sort of crazy if you consider that I’ve lived here only two years. My local neighborhood Italian restaurant, which opened right after I moved, has already closed. It’s been a big part of my life, and while I know that restaurants…

Happy Labor Day, to those who are resting or taking the day off, and happy September no matter what you’re up to. September! I’m feeling so mixed about it. There’s nothing like summer, and of all the seasons I think it passes most quickly. Beyond that, I’ve been having a very cozy August. Hunkering down at home is usually a winter activity for me, but it’s what I needed this month. It turns out that summer retreat is lovely in its own way….

I’m still in the low-key August retreat mode that I mentioned last Sunday. If I had to sum up what this means, I’d say that it’s an effort to have some quiet, domestic, solitary time. What prompted this initially was small stirrings of depression: the telltale fatigue, the persistent sadness and darkening thoughts. I know myself well enough to know that rest and a lightened schedule can be very helpful when I feel this way. It’s often enough to draw me away from…