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My Experience Working Retail During a Pandemic

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Before I dive into it, here's a meme to appreciate!  I cannot count how many times I was asked this while in full uniform.  Also, I did not work for the place in the picture.  Working in retail as an essential worker during a pandemic is a really wild time.  I can only speak for the place my coworkers and I were at since it may not be exactly the same everywhere- though I have a feeling it's extremely similar to what we and I have experienced. Back towards the beginning of the pandemic, to April of 2020, I remember wanting to go back to working at my job early from LOA because I had been stuck at home for a month and a half without being able to do much of anything, much like the rest of the world.  I was working in an elementary school at the time and also with their after school program but they didn't have much for me at the time I asked to go back so I started back at my retail job in mid April.  I also was finally in a stable place to quit my school job and after schoo
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A Post for Maundy Thursday

Today is the day which is traditionally referred to as Maundy Thursday. If we were all able to be with one another I know I would be at the Maundy Thursday service at Highlands this evening. It is one of my favorite. The other one I really like is the Ash Wednesday service at Highlands. They both have a sacred feel to them. On Ash Wednesday we heard a poem read to us called "Blessing of the Dust" by Jan Richardson. It goes like this: "Blessing of the Dust" All those days you felt like dust, like dirt, as if all you had to do was turn you face toward the wind and be scattered to the four corners or swept away by the smallest breath as insubstantial. Did you not know what the Holy One can do with dust? This is the day we freely say we are scorched. This is the hour we are marked by what has made it through the burning. This is the moment we ask for the blessing that lives within the ancient ashes, that makes its home inside the soil of thi
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A Weekend of Being, AKA R&R for the Soul

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"Worry not my daughters, Worry not my sons Child, when life don't seem worth livin' Come to Jesus and let Him hold you in His arms Oh, my baby, when you're cryin' Never hide your face from me I have conquered hell and driven out the demons I have come with a life to set you free" ~From "Come to Jesus" but Heatherlyn version~ This past weekend was the second annual Left Hand Church retreat in Estes Park.  For me, it was a much needed get-away from life for a few days, almost like hitting a reset button.  It was good to be with many of my people; people whom I love dearly.  Sometimes life just gets to be overwhelming, you know? It especially feels that way when I'm on the path of figuring myself out and what I want and am passionate about for now and the future.  Being in my 20's is quite a challenging time!  So much is happening and I'm growing so much all the time.  If I were to go back in time to three a
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A Year of Thankfulness

Recently it was Thanksgiving and I had the idea of making a post where I write out everything I'm grateful for from this past year, especially with all the life I have experienced.  It's a shorter post and that's okay.  So here goes! A short list of what I'm grateful for: A bed to sleep in A roof over my head My most basic needs being met New friends and old friends Highlands Church North Denver Left Hand Church Those who have been there when I've needed them Being able to have a car All the adverse/different experiences I've had this year Being seen and heard My therapist The time I will have with my family for Christmas People who love on me and who love me The ability to get around via my own two feet Good conversations Coffee/food with people I love and care about For the opportunities that come my way to learn and discover more about myself For all the things! I'm grateful for all of my experiences this past year because it has
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Summer of Surrender

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"...running with perseverance the race that is set before us..." ~Hebrews 12:1-3~ How do I begin to put into words what I experienced this summer? This is something I have been struggling to put into words for quite some time now.  Apparently inspiration to finally start putting words to it happens at 2:19am when most sane people are sleeping. I won't lie- this has not been an easy year for me.  I think it may be one of the hardest years thus far in my young adult life.  One was when my parents went back and forth from Chicago every other week for my dad's cancer treatments, and the other was the year my dad left this world.  The way my 2019 started sort of set the stage for how my summer went, at least in the way it affected my mental health during the summer months.  It's very difficult to go back down memory lane because the memories still feel painful albeit less raw than they were.  I'm currently in the messy healing process and I've got s
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My Life as a Former Bus Rider

I want to write about my experience on the buses and light rail.  It feels important to tell my story so others may understand better and see the world in a different way.  It feels like important work. I should warn you there is quite a bit of bus details because my point is to share the fullest extent of what it was like for me being a bus rider.  It's okay if you don't understand or if you skip around.  If you have the time I'd recommend looking them up.  If not just know it was just as exhausting living it as it probably is reading it. My first summer in Denver was spent learning about Denver, its culture, certain landmarks, how to ride public transportation, checking out different churches, and about the homeless population.  It was a lot to take in initially.  Denver is very different from small town Iowa. I remember the very first time I rode on a bus here, and I was terrified of getting off on the wrong stop, getting on it on the wrong side of the street, of t
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Buses, Empathy, Privilege, and Being Human

So yesterday I got my first car, and I have a lot of feelings about it. It's super amazing to finally have a car after never having one before.  If I were to attempt to describe my feelings around having one I would say it feels as though I'm dreaming, and as though any moment I'm going to wake up and revert back to where I was before.  It feels super surreal.  It feels like I'm cheating.  It feels super freeing.  I feel so much less stressed than I have been.  My brain is still in public transportation mode and I have a hunch it's going to be that way for quite some time still, which is totally okay with me.  I'm excited to have chunks of time back that were previously spent waiting for and riding the buses.  I'm excited to be in control of my own time table and not be so worried about if and when buses are running late.  I'm stoked to have a car! That being said- Privilege is something that's weighing particularly heavy on me right now. I don
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