Joni Edelman

"Food isn't the enemy –– calling it the enemy is the enemy."

I didn't get a lot of mothering as a child, but when I did, it was from her. She taught me how to sew, how to crochet. She taught me how to stand up for myself, to be tough. She taught me how to make fried chicken and fried okra, which I will never make, because it's fucking gross.

You can work your butt off and still be left with a tummy. Bummer.

Good god, where will I ever find someone who will love me in such a pitiful condition?

You should know that she is a really awesome human.

Being vulnerable, being seen (even lumpy and naked), admitting weakness, asking for help — these acts inspire and edify.

Don’t most kids feel afraid to come home?

Are the advances worth the trade-offs? You be the judge.

[CN: suicide, overdose] Gratitude stops me from ending my life, but it doesn’t stop me from wanting to end my life. Even the fierce love I have for my family doesn’t mean I don’t feel utterly hopeless sometimes.

My mother didn't teach me how to be a mother. But my babies did.