The 10 Stages of Grief as a Retail Associate during the Holidays

Recently, I have taken up a second job as a Sales Floor Associate in retail. Now, to preface, I worked in the retail world for five years through high school and college. It wasn't exactly a dream job, but it supplemented my collegiate activities. To preface even further, during this time in retail,  I never worked directly coinciding with the holiday season. And yesterday, nearing the end of my 8-hour shift, I realized why. You think you're tough? You don't know what being tough is until you've dealt with the onslaught of grouchy holiday shoppers. After a few weeks in, I have compiled a list of the ten stages of grief that a retail worker experiences during the holidays. 

Stage 1: Last shift was no bueno, but I'm optimistic! 

Ok, so last shift was rough. A mom with her six children rummaging through your section got upset because you couldn't find her a 10-pack of size 3T socks in baby powder blue, but that's ok. Today is a new day! You're gonna get your shoes on and iron out those black pants and KILL IT. Right?

Stage 2: And then you pull into the parking lot...

And your first instinct is to put the pedal to the medal and gun it out of there. The parking lot is full...that means the store is crowded...and that means people...may actually...talk to you. Maybe you've suddenly come down with a cold? But no, you need money to go out next weekend. And Jennifer from the jewelry section has already seen you and waved. So that's a no go. I guess that means, here goes nothing. 

Stage 3: Walk into the store and remember, you're technically not on the clock yet

This is the time to scope out the scene. It's not as bad as you thought it was because you can't hear a baby hysterically crying within earshot, so that's a good sign. The lines seem manageable and the POS associates haven't pulled their hair out yet, another good sign. This is going to be a piece of cake! And suddenly, the walk back to punch in doesn't seem so bad. 

Stage 4: As soon as you punch in, it's as if the masses have arisen

No less than 10 seconds after you depart the break room, it's as if the floodgates have opened. There are people in aisles, people in fitting rooms, people in shelving units, people UNDER shelving units, people talking, people yelling, and people crying. And by people crying, I mean your soul is crying because you know you have 8 hours to go and no escape in sight. Deep breaths, maybe they're all so busy with their lists that they won't even see me! 

Stage 5: Ok, everyone has a lot of questions

"Hi, I'm sorry to bother you, but you wouldn't happen to know where I could find a boy's size 8, Lee brand, dark rinse, relaxed fit jeans with a carpenter's pocket, husky fit?" Your mind activates lightning speed: you know where the Lee brand shelving unit is, so at least shuffle over there so it looks like you're competent. She said size 8 right? Let's pray to God the associate before me organized these by size. You're scrummaging through and pull out the first few size 8s you can get your hands on. Any dark rinse in here? Or did she say light rinse? Carpenter's fit? No pockets? Alaskan husky? OH MY GOD JUST NO.

Stage 6: The stockroom is your worst nightmare 

The time has come when someone asks you for something in a different color. Surprisingly, you're ok with this. You gladly reassure the customer that you'll go look for their request and make your way to the stockroom only to find pandaemonium. During the holidays, inventory is a free for all. There are toys where the shoes used to be, shoes where baby's clothes used to be, and everywhere in between there's gloves and thousands of Frozen memorabilia. Not to mention the several associates, literally, running behind the scenes. All it takes is one fitting room rack to the face to keep you out of there for the rest of your shift. 

Stage 7: Taking breaks and meal time. LOL

There are 3 rules to breaks and meal time: you don't DARE miss your scheduled breaks, you eat as fast as you can in fear that you'll be called back to the floor, and you spend the rest of the time avoiding all eye contact and possibly end up falling asleep until someone reminds you that you're five minutes overdue. You were just resting your eyes and lost track of time...honestly...

Stage 8: Hour 6 has set in and your back is slowly breaking

There is a true and measurable pain that sets in after standing, kneeling, and bending over the course of several hours. Your lower back feels like someone pushed you over really violently and now you can't straighten back out. Your hamstrings are burning. And your feet! We can't even talk about how uncomfortably sweaty your feet feel. You find yourself hiding in the fitting rooms to pop a squat just for a minute or too. The problem is that when you sit, you can't really get back up. 

Stage 9: You watch a customer hiding her unwanted items in a completely unrelated section

What is this that I'm finding in the women's sweaters aisle? A baby's bib, a pair of high heels, some gloves and a scarf, a half-drank Dunkin Donuts coffee, and a crumpled up coupon to Market Basket. It's like a twisted game of ISpy but instead of seeing it through a picture and flipping the page, you are staring at all the items and know they must eventually be returned to their proper place. Oy vey. 

Stage 10: HALLE-FREAKING-LUJAH

Let's be honest, you've been counting down since 30 minutes to 10:00. Shoppers are making their way out, and a euphoric bliss washes over you. You've done it. You've managed to dodge answering any questions about home appliances that you know nothing about, found the last pair of Nike Airs in a size 6, and only had two meltdowns with customers in which you were accused of being useless. You came, you saw, you conquered. Now get out of here and reward yourself with a Starbucks Eggnog Latte. You've earned it, soldier. 

xo Jessica

Never Forget

As I sat in my first grade classroom this morning leading the morning greeting, I looked around at the 26 six-year old faces around my room. We carried on our morning meeting as usual, and I asked one of my students to write the date on the easel. They stepped up on their tip toes and wrote "9-11-2014" in bright blue marker. Seeing that date scrawled across the paper made me hold my breath. A tragic, if not the most tragic, day in our nation's history. But I then realized that all my students were born years after that nightmare. They wrote that date without a hitch, without a second thought. They didn't have to experience the pain and heartbreak. And I hope they never do.

I was eleven years old when 9/11 happened. I was sitting in my sixth grade English class when an announcement over the loud speaker said there had been an accident at the World Trade Center in New York City, and if anyone had family there then they should report to the office immediately.  At the time, I didn't even know what the World Trade Center was. Teachers whispered in the hallways. Staff followed students into the bathrooms. But coming home to my father, seated in front of the TV with tears streaming down his face, was the lasting memory I'll have in my mind forever. It was the first time I had ever seen my father cry. 

I feel in some ways that my childhood ended that day. I could no longer listen to the radio before going to bed because of the constant 9/11 coverage. Our school day was flooded with questions from teachers asking if we were ok. And, as difficult as it is to talk about, it's around the time my anxiety disorder originated. I could no longer fly in airplanes due to a paralyzing fear. As time passed, it became difficult to travel in trains and buses as well. Several years later, I was in therapy for a year. 13 years later, while I've made some progress, I still cannot get on a plane.

This day brings out a multitude of emotions for me. Every year on 9/11, I sob in the shower until I can get it all out. I am filled with sadness, heartbreak, and anger. Angry that, in some small way, those individuals who carried out those horrific actions that day succeeded in instilling fear. They instilled fear in me, a lasting, torturous, 13-year fear that I cannot shake to this day. And it infuriates me. I woke up this morning feeling these emotions, but my heart was swiftly changed after my school day began. 

I am hopeful. Hopeful that, while the bad gets so much attention, the good will persevere. Today, I witnessed one of my students share her black colored pencil with her neighbor to finish a project. I witnessed one of my students give up her spot on the rug because another student forgot his glasses. I witnessed one of my students comfort another one of my students because she missed her mother on a business trip. And it encouraged me to stop and think if someone needed me to do something for them today that they couldn't do themselves. So I will go to bed tonight not only praying for those lost lives and their loved ones, but also that the same kindness of my children can be absorbed into the world. Sometimes, I feel like they are teaching me more than I could ever teach them. 

xo Jessica

DIY Color Block Clutch

I'm a sucker for coupons and discounts. When I know a shopping trip is approaching, I'll start scouring the internet for any kind of deal I can find. But the absolute best finds are unexpected. Last week, I was perusing Old Navy and came across this sad white clutch sitting in a pile of dust with a few minor stains on one of the sale shelves. It had been marked down from $19.99 to $10. Knowing that Old Navy is amazing when it comes to taking care of damaged merchandise, I approached one of the salespeople and asked what the marked down price would be if I were to purchase the clutch. They dropped it down to $5.98 and it was as good as gone! I took it home that night, used an all-purpose green cleaner to wipe it down, and it looked good as new.

Before:

    

After:

    

After it was clean, I realized the crazy amount of potential for this little clutch. I did a little research on summer trends on Pinterest, and decided to move ahead full force with a DIY overhaul. Introducing...

DIY Color Block Clutch!

(I apologize for my disgraceful looking nails in advance, they will be manicured immediately.)

What you'll need:

White clutch (can be envelope-style, fold over, anything you want)

Jewelry strands of your choice (I prefer the Blue Moon brands, found at JoAnn's or Michael's)

Super glue

Acrylic paint

Fabric paint

Paint brush

Painter's tape (not pictured)

Acetone (not pictured)

Lay your clutch down and measure out how much of the jewelry strand you'll be using and if you'll have to cut some of it down. I had to cut my second strand in half and retie the string in order to fit it across the front of my clutch. I kept the extra beads in a pile. 

Next comes the super gluing. I place a piece of paper inside the clutch so the glue wouldn't seep through to the inside and close it shut. Very carefully, lift the jewelry strand section by section, starting at the top, and glue the fixture down. Hold each section for 15 seconds after you glue. 

Once you feel as though the entire upper jewelry strand is secure, starting gluing the bottom of the jewelry strand if necessary. 

As fun little feature, I glued one of my extra beads to the zipper.

And with that, part one is complete!

Now before you move on to part two, ask yourself if you're happy with this product. My sister loved the clutch the way it was before I painted it, and it would certainly be functional without the color blocking. But I wanted to go that extra mile for a pop of color. 

Take your painter's tape and mark off the section you'll be painting.

On a paper plate or in a plastic bowl, mix together 3 parts acrylic paint, 1 part fabric paint, and a few drops of acetone. I used acetone on my clutch because the material is simulated leather, and the acetone will break down the paint so the material on the clutch will still be pliable instead of drying rock solid. 

Use long strokes to cover the section of your clutch. Paint the clutch as evenly as possible.

Set your timer for 15 minutes and repaint. After an additional 15 minutes, if the color has not reached your liking, repaint and wait an additional 15 minutes after that. 

Wait until the clutch is completely dry before removing the painter's tape. Fix any additional blemishes and let it dry. 

And there you have it folks! 

Thanks for watching!

xo Jessica

No, It's Not OkCupid...

*Disclaimer: Before writing this particular post, I ran the idea of it by two of my very good friends who reassured me I wouldn't be sending myself into an oblivion of embarrassment. So if that's the case, I place the blame on them!

I know I'm not the only one thinking about it, experimenting with it, or actually doing it. A few weeks ago, I decided to follow through completely with the idea of online dating, and I made my first profile on OkCupid. Now, before I get too deep, let me explain my reasoning. First of all, I work as a permanent substitute in a 2nd grade reading room by day and I attend 3-hour grad school classes Monday through Thursday by night. I don't have a tremendous amount of free time to lend myself to meeting people. Second of all, I am so over the bar scene. Third of all, everyone seems to be doing it, so why not hop aboard the online dating train? I know that sounds a little like, "If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you?" Well, this post is a testament to whether I'd take the plunge or not. 

OkCupid seemed like a decent place to start. It's free and the profile is easy to fill out. After you complete your own profile, they supply hundreds of questions for you to answer, about love, life, jobs, intellectuality, and your matches are based on what you deem as acceptable answers. The more questions you answer, the more particular your matches become. You can "favorite" certain individuals you like, rate people's profiles, and you are free to message anyone and everyone you find on the site. I started with a pretty open mind, not particularly for finding love, but for a social experiment of sorts. Well, let me just tell you, that idea could not have been more of a backfire. 

On the very rare occasion, I received a sweet compliment...

But that quickly turned into a FWB offer. Tempting, but no thanks...

Sometimes, the idea of starting a conversation was a struggle for some...

And for others, getting to the altar ASAP was the only thing on their mind...

Others just had a quick question...

And the rest were just downright bizarre...

Needless to say, it hasn't exactly been going as planned. I've received tons of similar messages like the latter, and not a single one of my messages to other individuals has been returned. What gives?! Now, before I go any further, I give credit to anyone willing to send a message on this site. It's not easy being vulnerable to a complete stranger, and my intention isn't to simply dismiss these messages I've received. But with the continuation of messages like these, who would want to keep their profile on this site? It's unfortunate that so many individuals have the ability to ruin the experience before it even really gets started. I've been on the site for about a month now, and if I wasn't so sickeningly optimistic, I would've quit weeks ago. I guess I'm starting to understand what "finding a diamond in the rough" really looks like in the online world. 

So is this what dating has come to? Is this what I have to look forward to in order to find "the one"? I know some people are a real fan of online dating, but this introduction to it has only left me laughing/confused/frustrated/all of the above. Here's to hoping the next month is better than the last, though I don't see how it could get much worse. Have any of these same experiences happened to you? I want to know about them! Have any of your online dating adventures lead to something concrete? I want to know about those too! I'm open to any and all feedback you're willing to share. In the mean time, I'll just be here, reading messages about my hair color and buckets of KFC...Wish me luck.

xo Jessica 

We Be Jammin'

I don't want to jinx it, but could summer finally be here?! It seems like forever ago that I last wore shorts and flip flops and was able to run outside consistently throughout the week. I made the official clothing swap today between summer and winter clothes, so there's no going back now! My month  of May has been/is absolutely crazy: my sister and many other friends are graduating, which means parties galore, family is flying in to visit, friends are throwing BBQs and other friends are getting married...it's nuts! So needless to say, I was getting a little off track with my diet last week and the gym was getting a little redundant. I decided to make a ton of playlists on Spotify and it did a 180 my workout mood. Spotify is my favorite app on my phone: for $9.99/month, you get access to unlimited music which you can download in playlists to your phone so you can listen when you're not hooked up to WiFi. I highly recommend it for music enthusiasts who don't want to pay $1.29/song on iTunes. Anyways, I wanted to share bits of my playlists with y'all in case you need to spice up your workout music, you wouldn't believe the difference it makes!

The Warm Up: 

"Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" by Michael Jackson

"Get Lucky" by Daft Punk

"Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen

"Look At Me Now" by Chris Brown

"Did It On'em" by Nicki Minaj

"Gotta Have It" by Jay-Z and Kanye West

"FutureSex / LoveSound" by Justin Timberlake

"Icky Thump" by The White Stripes

Cardio:

"SheiBe" by Lady Gaga

"Girl Gone Wild" by Madonna

"Problem" by Ariana Grande

"Roman's Revenge" by Nicki Minaj

"m.A.A.d city" by Kendrick Lamar

"OG Bobby Johnson" by QUE.

"Black Skinhead" by Kanye West

"#thatPOWER" by will.i.am

"Neon Lights" by Demi Lovato

"Harder To Breathe" by Maroon 5

"BBC" by Jay-Z

"Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns and Roses

"Dirt Off Your Shoulder" by Jay-Z

"Freakum Dress" by Beyonce

"Dirty Picture" by Taio Cruz and Ke$ha

"Gimme More" by Britney Spears

"Paper Planes" by M.I.A.

"Pon De Floor" by Major Lazer

"Slight Work" by Wale

Weightlifting:

"SOS" by Rihanna

"She Wants To Move" by N.E.R.D.

"Worst Behavior" by Drake

"Natalie" by Bruno Mars

"Give It 2 U" by Robin Thicke

"Cole World" by J. Cole

"Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke

"Hey Mama" by The Black Eyed Peas

"Champion" by Kanye West

"Dirrty" by Christina Aguilera

"A Milli" by Lil Wayne

"No Angel" by Beyonce

"Change Your Life" by Iggy Azalea

"Government Hooker" by Lady Gaga

"In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins

"Part II (On the Run)" by Jay-Z

"Pop Champagne" by Jim Jones

"Sex on Fire" by Kings of Leon

The Cool Down:

"Show Me" by Bruno Mars

"Practice" by Drake

"Somewhereinamerica" by Jay-Z

"Ignition (Remix" by R. Kelly

"Mrs. Officer" by Lil Wayne and Bobby Valentino

"God Put A Smile Upon Your Face" by Coldplay

"Sweet Disposition" by The Temper Trap

"Nobody's Perfect" by J. Cole

xo Jessica

Summertime (Fad)ness

For all the men that read my blog, I will give you this disclaimer at the earliest convenience: this post is geared toward my female audience. Lo siento muchachos. 

Summer is coming!...I say this as I'm typing away covered in fleece socks and a sweatshirt. New England is having a hard time letting go of the frigid temperatures. Nonetheless, I remain optimistic that any day now, my summer attire that's been tucked away for months will reemerge as fresh as ever. Like most of you, I surf Pinterest nearly everyday to keep myself updated on what's trending for the summer season and I've noted a variety of things that I'm thinking of investing in this summer or have already purchased. Because of all the positive feedback I received on my "All I Want for Christmas" series, I figured why not translate the same idea to summer! Like the previous series, I stay within a reasonable budget because I only include items that I can realistically afford. There's a little bit for everyone on this list, and who knows, there may be something you never knew you wanted!

FILA SPORT Ombre Hooded Jacket, $55

Two things: 1. I love the FILA SPORT brand. It's Nike and Adidas quality workout gear without being ridiculously overpriced. The variety of colors and patterns are fantastic and they have just about any item you could think of: shirts, tanks, shorts, pants, capris, etc. 2. I love Kohls. You almost always hit the store during a major sale (still don't understand how they get away with that) and there are plenty of ways to find coupons. I saw this jacket a few weeks ago and fell in love. It's great for running because it's a lightweight shell jacket with an adjustable waistband but it keeps you just warm enough for those chilly morning runs. I can even envision myself using this as a rain jacket on muggy summer days. It's a win win in my book!

Baublebar Athena Tab Strand Necklace, $46

Statement necklaces seem to be all the rage this summer. I have invested in several myself, but I've found that if the necklace makes too much of a statement, I can only pair it with certain pieces. This necklace right here is a beauty. It can be paired with nearly anything (it comes in five different colors) but it's still flashy enough to say, "Here I am!" The best part about this website is when you sign up to receive emails, you instantly get 15% off! I love me some Baublebar. 

Benefit Cosmetics Watt's Up! Highlighter, $30

In my opinion, nothing's better than a great summer tan. You need minimal makeup, you can throw your hair in a messy pony, and just go wherever the wind takes you that day. This product is perfect for those summer nights when you want to dress it up a notch but you don't want layers of concealer to hide all that summer glow. It's a one-size-fits-all highlighter that can be used on cheekbones and down the middle of your nose. Once you lightly blend into skin with the flip-side applicator, you get an instant glow without the heaviness of foundation. Throw on a little mascara and go!

Essie Nail Color "For The Twill Of It," $8.50

Nail polish is a really underrated form of low-cost pampering. A fresh coat of nail polish can really go a long way for a girl. I know this color has been around for some time, but I just can't get enough of it. It's one of Essie's only (if not the only) holographic polishes and the bottle just doesn't do it justice. I highly recommend you search for the color on Google Images to see it on nails. It reminds me of a mermaid's scales and while it's on the darker side for summer, I think having a holographic polish in the sun makes this color even more fun. (This snippet turned out to be an unintentional rhyme fest, my bad!)

Tovolo Groovy Ice Pop Molds, $13

Something so simple can be so refreshing over the summer. These popsicle molds are made for grown up-sized appetites and you can do anything you want with them! One of my favorite popsicle recipes consists of freshly slices strawberries and pineapple chunks with Sprite Zero. Pop those suckers in the freezer overnight and you've got a refreshing, tasty popsicle for the hot temperatures. You can even crank it up a notch by making an adult popsicle with wine and fruit! The possibilities are endless. 

Paderno World Cuisine Tri-Blade Spiral Vegetable Slicer, $49.88

If you enjoy cooking, I think you'll really enjoy this item. I absolutely love SkinnyTaste.com because it offers TONS of recipes that are hearty and healthy. Recently, I read a recipe that included "zoodles," otherwise known as zucchini noodles! Perplexed as to how to make these, the website redirected me to this handy dandy machine thats not only easy but safer compared to a mandolin. You place the zucchini between handle and the blade, start twisting and out comes zucchini noodles! What better way to make a deliciously light summer dinner than including this fun ingredient? On top of the zoodles, this slicer has several other blades to make onion rings, apple ribbons, and french fries. 

Tervis Goblet, $22

My idea of a relaxing summer night is sitting outside on one of my Adirondack chairs, watching the sunset, with a glass of Pink Moscato in my hand. The only issue is that I'm clumsy and half of my patio is covered in brick, so venturing out with one of my glass wine glasses isn't the greatest of ideas. These Tervis "goblets" are 16 oz and will hold your favorite drinks without the hassle of glass. They are dishwasher safe, can be used with any other lid sold by Tervis, and you can pick and choose what you want your glass to look like, or you can even customize your goblet with your own photos. They're great for traveling and carrying with you to the beach as well. 

LOFT Beach Stripe Open Hoodie, $59.50

We've all had the obligatory beach coverup made up of some sort of mesh cotton with elastic that covers you up just enough to take a walk down the boardwalk. But how about changing up that coverup for a beach hoodie? Being the LOFT enthusiast that I am, I can't stop thinking about how cool this is for the beach. It's a polyester and rayon blend so sand won't seep into the material and the neutral stripes will pair with any solid colored bikini nicely. You can even sneak the hood on for the windy days. 

TanTowel Self-Tan Towelette Full Body Application, $24 (5 Towelettes)

I saw these being advertised on QVC one night and I was completely mesmerized. They come in packs of 5 and this is what you do: you open a towelette, apply it to clean, dry skin in a circular motion all over your body, wash your hands, and that's it. There's no extra exfoliating, moisturizing, no awful tanning odor, no need to wait days to see results. You see results within two to four hours and carry on with your day. As someone who has tried just about every tanning outlet, this looks like one of the easiest, pain free ways to get that golden summer glow. 

Alex and Ani Siam Endurance Sacred Studs Necklace, $48

I purchased an Alex and Ani Sacred Studs necklace several weeks ago and I love it! They've taken the expandable concept to a whole new level with the necklace line (available in gold and silver) which allows you to adjust the necklace to whatever length you want. The pendants are just blingy enough to add any character to an outfit and I've gotten more compliments on it than any other recent purchase I've made. Who doesn't love a necklace that can be paired with any neckline? 

xo Jessica

We All Need Somebody To Lean On

Today marks one year since the Boston Marathon bombings. Being a northern Bostonian myself, it's a day full of emotion and reflection. I remember it was just my second week of working in the corporate world when news broke in our cafeteria about the bombing. My best friend regularly attended the Marathon to cheer the runners on, but once I was reassured that she was safe all I could do was sit back and watch in horror: all the victims laying lifeless on the street, the first responders scrambling to their aid, but most endearingly I remember strangers helping strangers. 

The reason I returned to teaching Pre-K to 2nd grade and have recently accepted a year-long fellowship to earn my Masters in Moderate Disabilities was not because of the lesson planning and not because of the hours and the summers off, it was because of the interaction I get to have everyday with, what I think, is the closest thing I'll ever get to angels on earth: the sweet faces of my (current) first graders who come in to school everyday and give me high fives and hugs as if they haven't seen me in years. They tell me about their weekends playing soccer, how much they love Justin Bieber and One Direction, and what they brought for lunch that day. In a world filled with social media and technology, it's refreshing to have face-to-face conversations with my students who have yet to make a Twitter profile. 

Maybe it's the teacher in me, but days like today, anniversaries of horrific and unfathomable events, make me wonder if something could have been done in order to prevent such tragedy. When I scroll through the news pages online and read about one more school shooting or one more school stabbing, all I can think about is this: did someone simply ask how that individual was doing? When we ask people how they are, do we really mean it? Or has this simply become a fleeting form of a greeting so we can hurry back to whatever WE want to do? 

I had a particular student last year who was high on the autism spectrum. He was an absolutely wonderful little boy who was very bright and very kind, but he had a temper in him like nothing I'd ever seen. One on occasion in particular, he came into school and ripped through the children's coats, threw bags on the ground, and wailed on the floor for all of morning circle time. After he nearly emptied a bin of blocks during free play, I took him to our quiet corner and asked (let's call him "John" for privacy purposes), "John, what is going on today? Why are you behaving like this?" He turned his head, looked me straight in the eye and said, "There weren't enough pop tarts for me to eat this morning for breakfast so I had to have cereal and I do NOT like cereal." There it was, all that havoc because of a pop tart. After we took a few deep breaths and recollected ourselves, I told him I was very sorry there weren't enough pop tarts for him but maybe his mom could buy more today so he'll have them for tomorrow. I asked him if he was ready to return to class and he obliged, walked over the free play rug and began playing with his classmates. 

Sometimes, I think these tragedies could be lessened if we just asked each other how we were doing and truly meant it. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. More often than not, there is a reason that we do the things we do, whether it's entirely rational or not. We go by a certain mantra in the school where I work: "The kids who need the most love will ask for it in the most unloving ways." Can't this also be applied to adults in need? During the times in which I go through the most pain, stress, and heartache, a simple conversation seems to lift me from my problems. I think we get too wrapped up in the technological side of friendships, sending Facebook messages to catch up and the occasional email. We experience less and less human contact and we alienate ourselves from the heart-to-hearts that I believe are necessary to the human soul. 

On this one year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings, I would ask this of all those who read it: the next time you speak to your friends, or maybe even a stranger, when you ask them how they are doing, mean it. You have no idea what a lending ear could do for someone who may be in pain and need. You have the power to change people's lives for the better, so let's start spreading the love. 

xo Jessica