All posts by Sarah Kirsten

Growing up I was bombarded with ideologies about not finding happiness in worldly measures of success. Things like, making a lot of money, getting promotions – all external measures of generally doing well in life, so to speak. The intent of these ideologies was noble – they were meant to reinforce the idea that external…

One of my favorite lines in the Anne of Green Gables series is when Anne is walking home one day with a kind man carrying a lamp. She describes how the light created by the lamp makes the darkness feel like the enemy. The contrast between light and dark is stark, making it difficult to…

First off, can I give you a hug? I’ll make us a pot of your favorite tea, switch on the floor lamp, and we can talk while the cicadas chorus their summer song in the cool evening air breezing through the open windows. I want to sit and listen to what is heavy on your…

Have you ever walked by someone famous? When I was flying back from saying goodbye to my grandmother who was passing away, I saw a young man at the Denver International Airport. I didn’t know who he was. I still don’t, actually. But when I saw him, I did a double take. There was something…

Have you ever wondered what to do with a hobby or skill that you love? One time when I was on a solo bicycle trip down the Mississippi, I stayed the night at the parents of one of my friends, who happened to live near my route. As we washed the dishes together after supper,…

As a young 15-year-old, I approached my parents and petitioned them to grant me permission to shave my head. There was a growing nagging feeling inside me that I needed to see myself without hair to really understand who I was, what I looked like. This was a step further than my previous petition regarding…

For some reason or another, our body seems to be of particular interest for attack from mean voices within. The mean voice is surprisingly convincing. It starts early in our lives. It is not invited inside, but it finds a way in. It cleverly twists things you hear or experience into unhealthy comparisons with girls…

Hemming used to be one of my least favorite parts of sewing. The main structure of garments come together quite quickly. Then all the finishing details such as hemming and sewing buttons, etc. take just as long as it does to construct the whole thing! It can be highly frustrating. But recently my views on…

Clothing is a beautiful thing. Clothing gives the opportunity to present to the outside world an insight about who you are through the garments you wear. But that has a downfall. When someone says something mean about what you’re wearing, what you’re revealing about yourself, it can sometimes hurt. Hurt a lot. Rejection is the…