Good morning, friends, and happy Sunday. It’s hard to believe that August is already here. I’m fighting the urge to start fretting–as I do nearly every summer–about all of the summery things I haven’t yet done: the outdoor concerts I haven’t seen, the picnic lunches I haven’t eaten, the languid hours of reading on sunny benches that haven’t happened. It’s so easy to idealize summertime, to envision it as a series of postcard-perfect snapshots. Of course, the truth is that summer holds no…

I’ve been thinking a lot this week about the tug-of-war between knowing when to persist with something and when to let go. Years ago, I wrote a post about not getting into med school. When I was writing it, I thought that I was telling a story of failure, of things not going the way that I had wanted them to go. As is so often the case, readers pointed me to a different, underlying meaning in the post. It wasn’t about failing…

Happy Sunday, all. This week seems to have flown by, but I did manage to catch a couple of show-stopping recipe links and interesting reads along the way. I hope you’ll enjoy them as much as I have. Let’s start with a flash of color! These mashed purple yams with sesame brown butter from The Endless Meal couldn’t possibly be prettier–or more appetizing. (Follow Kristen’s instructions to veganize the recipe.) I can’t wait to try them as a dinner side. Katie of Produce…

I read Rachel O’Meara’s article on the importance of pauses—especially as a tool for reevaluating professional direction—about a month ago. I took interest in the piece because I’ve been working to slow down these days. Not too long ago I mentioned that I tend to force decisions, or make them too precipitously. My intention—to be proactive and not overthink things—is sensible enough. But when I act too quickly I often regret it; I end up wondering whether I might have come to a clearer and more…