A CHANGE IN PERSPECTIVE

I recently came across two different, but related quotes. In a NY Times article written by Pope Francis, he joked that there are only two types of perfect people – dead people and people not born. In other words, perfection doesn’t really exist. Then, I heard a podcast playing in my mom’s car and the podcast guest said, “If you are perfect, there won’t be anyone in the world to relate to you”. Sometimes we are so busy trying to be perfect that we forget it’s an exhausting a

Living with food allergies isn’t just a medical condition. Avoiding a severe reaction is only one part of the challenge. For me, my food allergies have shaped much more than what I can eat. What many people don't see is the additional worry and constant fixation on what others around me are eating as well. Therefore, my nut allergies have also shaped my sense of safety. On the outside, I look like most kids. I’m a girl who loves being active, learning, and having fun. I’m in

With a severe nut allergy, finding safe food to eat can be challenging. Baking nut-free cookies has become my happy place. Baking is when I can feel safe and put my anxiety to rest for a while. The fact that the melted butter and sugar make my house smell amazing is a bonus. This Thanksgiving and Christmas, I anonymously delivered cookies and little notes to local families who have medically fragile and terminally ill children. It's my way of saying, “You are seen, and you m