One thing people ask me about is how to talk to childless people. Specifically, people who are parents tell me they worry about saying the wrong thing to those who are childless. Such conversations can be a tricky bridge to cross. I can understand this. I have been the recipient of a few “wrong things” […]
Author: Steph Penny
To My Friends With Children
You may not believe this. I have friends who are parents. Here I am, a childless thirty-something, friends with other people who have children. It’s true. But how can this happen, I hear you ask? Don’t childless people get put off by parents and vice versa? Not all of us. Some of us are very […]
Lamenting Childlessness
“It’s God’s will.” “Maybe God doesn’t want you to be a parent.” “You need to get on with your life.” Society is good at handing out advice to childless people. It tells people how they ought to feel and for how long. Those of us who are grieving do not need a pat answer or […]
Start Again
Like so many of my songs, “Start Again” began with an honest moment of prayer. I had been repenting of some hidden sins suddenly thrust into the light, when the words seemed to form musical phrases in my mind. Before I knew it, I was writing down this song. There are many songs out there […]
Lamenting Singledom
Single and 29. It does not sound very old, does it? And yet I felt ancient. Surrounded by 21-year-old marrieds, I was beginning to feel like life had passed me by. Fellow 29-year-olds were trying to decide whether or not to have a third child. Meanwhile, my prayers for a husband seemed to be falling […]
Angry with God
“Oh God, You have rejected us and cast us off, Broken down our defenses, and scattered us. You have been angry – O restore us And turn Yourself to us again! You have made the land to quake and tremble, You have rent it open; Repair its breaches, for it shakes and totters. You have […]
Good Enough
This is not a self-esteem blog. This is not about flattery or inflating your ego. This is not even about you. It’s about your creative work. Most artists are perfectionists. They develop and hone their art. They practice it over and over, trying to get it right. Even when it is perfect, they are often […]
Savouring Chocolate
I’m a rationer when it comes to chocolate. I have always had a sweet tooth – since I was a kid – and I have always been able to ration my chocolate supplies. Some people like to binge on chocolate, but not me. I take a bite and I savour every moment. I find this […]
The Plague
We’ve had a particularly nasty strain of the flu doing the rounds in our household these past few weeks. As I head down the road toward recovery, reclaiming things like the ability to breathe through my nose and the power of speech, I am grateful to be free of the plague. This is, of course, […]
Surviving Procrastination
Most creative people have experienced procrastination at some time in their lives. Whether it be the allure of the washing up, the beckoning of social media or the temptation to engage in consumer-based activities (shopping), procrastination can become an art-form. What’s your favourite kind of procrastination? Mine is what I have come to call “real […]