If your friend is a woman, the Womencare Counseling Center has a sliding scale... I know how hard it is when your income on paper looks higher than what is actually available - I have had various degrees of success explaining this to people. Good luck for your friend!
yes, I love that she specifies "a friend's 12th birthday" but.... not her own age? Jaya, was this last year?!
It's really amazing to wake up after your first post-labor nap and realize you are NO LONGER PREGNANT! You were sleeping comfortably on your back! Then reality kicks in that you have a newborn you have to take care of.... And yes, those first few weeks are pretty hard, but it's really the longest shortest time. Hang in there... Hope you can find lots of little ways to treat yourself in the next month.
I came down here to say 'hello, are you me?' but it seems we are legion. Thank you for this, you captured so many poignant bits so well - there are many facets to the pain of leaving. I am trying to recreate a narrative where nothing is lost, only gained - it is difficult to keep that narrative alive when the paradigm my family etc. live in see me as apostate first, and not as the happy liberated human I feel I am. I hope things can change for all the women who feel called to stay, but I must be honest and say that I also hope the LDS church burns to the ground and that all people within it are freed from suffering.
Every time I think I am past being angry at the LDS church, something like this pops up again and I am a rage machine for the rest of the day. :(
He began with "a little Tuesday night drama class"