Write down all your thoughts without judgement.

There aren’t enough pens in the world. I may do this in a day or two, but tonight I’m just thinking those thoughts.

Actually, one of my best friends and I said a lot of stuff about stuff that no one talks about earlier today. It was great and the truth. I’ll probably write it all here soon, because there’s no reason not to.

Love y’all.

Have a solo dance party to your favorite song.

One of the best parts of earlier Grey’s Anatomy episodes were when Meredith and Cristina would “dance it out” after a long day, emotional day, or an argument. I car-dance. I car-danced to “Headstrong” by 10,000 Maniacs today. Not only is it one of my favorite songs of all time, but it’s also unlike any of their other songs. It’s a little angry, booming, and big. It’s best played loud and it’s best sung loud and danced with your head swinging side with your arms in the air with fists clinched. Because you’re so headstrong, even when you’re wrong.

Check in on a friend.

I did. ❤️

Apologize where you may need to.

Done.

On June 17th, 1972 at about 12:30 a.m., security guard Frank Wills notices masking tape holding a door latch open between the parking garage and a stairwell at D.C.’s Watergate hotel and office complex. He removes it but returns to find the lock taped again and calls the police. They arrest five intruders on the sixth floor, inside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee.

Washington Post

On June 18, 1972, The Washington Post ran a front-page story on a break-in at the Democratic National Committee offices in the Watergate building in D.C. The story, the first to run in The Post about what would become the Watergate scandal, was written by longtime police beat reporter Alfred E. Lewis. The next day, a follow-up piece would run under the bylines of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who would go on to break open the scandal that would ultimately lead to President Richard Nixon’s resignation.

Washington Post

The journalism that uncovered the greatest political scandal on the 20th century led to a book which led to a film that changed my life.

All the President’s Men is based on the book of the same name by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. I watched this film in 9th grade in my journalism class and it lit a fire in my love for journalism, for story, for narrative, for great film, and for writing. I already read my local newspaper. I was probably the only one of my friends who did. But this was something big. It showed what journalism could do.

Ultimately, the work of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein caused Nixon’s resignation. And that was the moment the public began to distrust the government. Of course, not everyone trusted the government, but this shook the country. Nothing was the same after the news unraveled Nixon’s presidency.

I was born one month before his resignation, so I only have books, movies, and documentaries that I’ve consumed about the break-in, no memories of the scandal in real time.

If you haven’t seen the film, give it a watch. It’s extremely heavy on dialogue, so don’t expect lightsabers or motorcycle chases. Let me know what you think.

Grieve an apology you’ve never received.

That’s the thing about me — I’ve worked all that out in therapy and workbooks. But its not just the grieving.

Nothing will feel better in your life as far as feelings/anxiety/hurt go than forgiving people who hurt you. Nothing. Did they deserve it? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe they didn’t live long enough to apologize or ask forgiveness. Maybe you’re no longer in contact with that person. Forgive them and let it go. It makes you so much lighter.

Drop the suitcases you’re carrying. Take off that backpack of hurt and pain and suffering and trauma and grieve that you never got and be as mad as you want to. Go somewhere and scream what you want to tell them. I wrote a letter to my person — cried and spoke out loud while writing and ripped it up after I finished.

And I forgave them. I’ve learned in my 47 ancient year’s that forgiveness is for you, not the person who harmed you. It lightens your load. It isn’t about them. And it’s not about turning the other cheek. You can forgive them and set boundaries. It feels great.

Set one boundary where you’re feeling drained.

I did this with one of my children today. I can’t say which one or specifically what, but I said no more and and I’m not moving. Boundaries are essential in relationships. People don’t think of them in regard to children that are young enough to still live under your roof, but that’s what rules are. This was a boundary, not a rule — some rules are boundaries, some are just rules. You know what rules are. Don’t run in the house. Clean up after yourself. Those are rules. Then there are actual boundaries. Curfews are rules and boundaries. Y’all know what I’m talking about.

Try a new recipe.

I’m going to do that tomorrow. A new Salisbury steak recipe, different from what I’ve used before. Today was grilled cheese and tomato soup, but fantastic tomato soup.

For three minutes celebrate how far you’ve come.

Yesterday my favorite teacher died. She was 95 and was a firecracker everywhere she went and in everyone’s life that she touched and she wore bright lipstick like I did. It made me incredibly sad and I cried. Then I thought about how she would say “sugar, save the tears for someone who needs them.” I owe a lot of who I am to Mrs. Bowdon. Her advice started me on a path of writing and finding my voice and here I am 32 years later. Writing something. Even if it’s just a couple of words or a title and a photograph every day for five years. Having a blog for 20 years. Finding ways to express my creativity every day. I spent three minutes celebrating that today. Reading old blog posts. Looking at photos. Thinking about what Mrs. Bowdon would say. Probably “you don’t have to write every day, Kerry. But your lipstick looks fabulous!”

Do something you’ve been scared to do.

I’m going have to do this another day because I waited until 8:43 at night and I should ha e prepared. But I did pick my daughter up from the airport this morning and that was terrifying.