Normally I draft this Sunday post from my sofa or desk seat.

Today, I put my hot cup of coffee into a tumbler, tucked my computer under my arm, and went up to my building’s roof to write it instead.

The fact that I live in a building with a roof that’s suitable for sitting is so cool. When I moved into my current studio, this felt like a perk that was almost too good to be true.

I immediately got to fantasizing about my future with said roof. In the summer, I’d invite friends over to eat dinner with me up there. I’d sit there when the work day was over, watching late sunsets.

When the fall came, I’d go to my roof with hot coffee or tea. I’d sip my warm beverage in the cool air, feel the breeze on my skin, and take in the change of the seasons.

Of course, it’s all too easy to forget the goodness of what’s already ours. I’ve taken advantage of the roof a little bit, but all things considered, I don’t go up there nearly enough.

This is the same thing that happened to me when I lived walking distance from a park. I told myself I’d take advantage of the green space, but I rarely did. Instead, I hung around my apartment and fantasized about how nice it would be to have a change of scenery, when such a change was only a ten minute walk from where I sat.

Whenever I do go up on the roof, I’m reminded of how lucky I am to live where I live, to be surrounded by the energy of the city, to have easy access to a breath of fresh air and a third space that’s outdoors.

For the most part, mornings have always been a good time of day for me. Even during difficult periods, I’ve felt my best upon waking, knowing that the day is young and a lot could change before it’s over.

For the past few weeks, though, my mornings have felt uncharacteristically melancholy. This morning was one of them.

For a moment, I figured I’d just have to sit with my early day sadness. I thought about taking a walk, but it was early, and I wanted to sip my coffee in peace.

Then I remembered the roof. The roof which is quite literally a few floors above me, as open and breezy as ever.

It felt so much better to drink my coffee up there, taking in the early morning city sounds, gazing up at a clear sky and feeling an abatement in the humidity we had this past week.

I can’t say that my mood was transformed in an instant, but I felt better: calmer and more accepting of myself, ready to embrace the day.

Rolf Naujokat, a yoga teacher who trained some of my teachers, was known for saying, “easy come, easy go.”

He passed away this summer, and I’ve been thinking a lot about that saying.

Easy come, easy go. Perspective can be like that. Sometimes all it takes to find it again is a ten minute walk, or a few quick flights of stairs.

Hope you can shift your own perspective as often as you need to in the coming week. Happy Sunday, friends. Here are some recipes and reads.

Recipes

1. I bet these mushroom asada tacos pack a big flavor punch.

2. Eggplant season is the best season, and this roasted eggplant soup looks great.

3. I’m eager to make these Italian-inspired vegetarian hoagies with vegan cheese.

4. A simple, yet vibrant salad for all of that August corn.

5. Pineapple and ginger snaps?! I wouldn’t have thought to put them together, but Lauren’s ice cream sure looks good.

Reads

1. There’s been quite a bit written about studies linking fetal exposure to famine to an increased risk of type II diabetes or metabolic syndrome later in life. When I was in grad school, this phenomenon was referred to broadly as “the thrify gene,” suggesting that fetal exposure to caloric scarcity makes the body predisposed to conserve energy later in life.

This article describes the mechanisms at play here as “the fetal programming hypothesis.” It offers a succinct look at research that underscores how essential nutritional adequacy during pregnancy truly is.

2. Elissa Altman is an essayist known for her food writing. In this lyrical piece, which is largely about her insomnia, Altman captures the complexity and consolation of “the mundane that sustains and feeds us.” This includes late-night moments of standing in the kitchen, aching back and all.

3. Positive news about how a new generation of young, female runners is embracing the importance of good nutrition and well-nourished bodies. I was especially heartened to read about how coaches and trainers are supporting them in this shift.

4. A new crop of vegan cheeses, including blue cheese, is being crafted with the help of AI.

5. More and more research points to the fact that teens in distress need to be listened to and heard more than they need advice or solution-giving.

I read through because I have a number of teen clients, but as I was reading, I thought to myself that attentive listening is really what we all need, no matter how old.

On that note, a whole afternoon and evening are stretching out before us, full of possibilities for new ways of feeling and being and seeing things.

Enjoy—and I’ll check in again soon.

xo