Kristi Pahr

When my oldest son was a baby, my husband and I used to talk about what sports he would play.

I think we can all agree that there is some messed up stuff happening right now.

My version of self-care is a little less “best life” and a little more “no life”, but it works for me.

Things as simple as a missed call from an unknown number or someone knocking on your door put me into straight up fight or flight. I really do hide from people who come to my door. Real talk, I have gotten on my hands and knees below a window so they wouldn’t see me. I’ve even hidden in the closet. I know. Whacko.

I have to go shopping tomorrow and I’m dreading it.

These women are from all over the world. They are from different socioeconomic brackets. Their assaults took place during different times over the last 35 years. The victims are completely different, but the stories are all so similar. Victims of assault, rape, harassment, coming forward, being brave and telling the truth, and being stigmatized, ostracized, blamed, ignored, ridiculed. People they love, people they trust, people whose job it is to protect them, blaming them for their assault. It’s common. Almost expected. That women are assaulted, harassed by men, is a given in our culture. That women are blamed is standard procedure. Is it really any wonder that the majority of sexual assaults go unreported? Is it really shocking that a woman would want to save herself additional trauma?

I know how it feels to not contribute financially to the household. I know how it feels to be completely dependent on someone else for my financial stability. I know how it feels to know that if something dreadful and unthinkable happened, I’d be completely destitute. And it’s terrifying.

2016 sucked. If we can’t agree on anything else, I think we can all agree on at least that much.

“Is she Black or white?” I asked another mom who was describing a little girl in her son’s class that she thought my family might know.

Essential oils have become incredibly popular and can be found everywhere from your local farmer’s market and community festival to social media.