The Joy of Imperfection

By Stacie Prada

If I could talk to my younger self, I know she’d be surprised, excited, proud, and likely a bit skeptical to learn that I’ve genuinely found fulfillment in imperfection. 

I was a very timid and quiet child. I feared making mistakes, looking dumb, and not doing things right. I tried to avoid any possibility that I’d do something to be ridiculed or judged negatively.

I visibly shook throughout a presentation on candle-making to my fourth-grade class. It was torture to be the center of attention in a classroom. A high school presentation of a memorized poem wasn’t much better.  Neither my nine-year-old self nor my 15-year-old self would ever have imagined that someday I would frequently present with confidence to large groups. Young me would be amazed that I overcame my fear of public speaking. People who have only known me for the last 10 years would not believe I was ever that shy and fearful.

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El crecimiento que ella aún no podía ver

De vez en cuando, me enfrento a retos que me recuerdan lo mucho que he madurado a lo largo de los años. He comprendido que los retos son oportunidades de crecimiento personal y que algunos contratiempos son bendiciones inesperadas. Mirando al pasado, mi yo más joven jamás habría imaginado lo fuerte y capaz que llegaría a ser.

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The Growth She Couldn’t Yet See

Once in a while, I face challenges that remind me just how much I’ve grown over the years. I’ve come to understand that challenges are actually opportunities for personal growth—and that some setbacks are blessings in disguise. Looking back, my younger self could never have imagined how resilient I would become.

She would be proud of how much my perspective has shifted as I’ve grown older and wiser. I used to cling so tightly to people, places, and things that I ended up suffocating the very opportunities life was offering me—to explore, to learn, and to flourish in unfamiliar territory. It was hard to say no to things that drained my energy and happiness. But over time, I’ve learned that while life can be unpredictable and full of obstacles, I have the power to choose my perspective. And today, I choose to believe in myself and trust that I can handle whatever comes my way.

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An Attitude of Gratitude

Life is one roller coaster of a ride. I realize that each life experience has a mix of emotions attached to it. At this point in life, I think I have experienced it all – anger, frustration, joy, happiness, embarrassment, peace, sadness, laughter, grief, and so forth. I have been overwhelmed many times, not knowing how to handle it all.

Having a good support system has always been my foundation, and it has helped me get through those tough times. I am proud of the little victories and the small successes that I have encountered in my journey through life.

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Sparkling Cucumber Mint Lemonade

Cool, crisp, and effortlessly refreshing, sparkling cucumber mint lemonade is the perfect sip to celebrate Memorial Day. As the unofficial start of summer, this holiday calls for light, hydrating drinks that can be enjoyed in the sunshine—and this one delivers with a burst of citrus, cooling cucumber, and garden-fresh mint. It’s a family-friendly crowd-pleaser, making it an ideal addition to any backyard cookout or picnic gathering.

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Proud Memories

By Bonnie Lynn Ellison

May is a good time to reflect on myself, and what my younger self would be proud of. When I was young, I thought life was a rodeo! I competed in the National Little Britches Rodeo from 8 to 18 years old, and was proud of my ribbons, buckles, and trophies! I learned, if you got thrown off, you got back on the horse!

When I was young, I also played my guitar and sang in talent shows, from 7th grade through high school. In college, I performed with the FAB Company. We toured nationally in the early 1970’s, recorded four albums, and were contracted with the major international talent agency, William Morris. I’m proud that we wrote our own original music, songs, and comedy. We did concerts! I thought I was Taylor Swift!

I fell in love, got married, and two years later, I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. I was 25. It affected me like a stroke, on the right side of my body. I had never heard of this disease, so it was like an old rodeo injury to me. It took about three years to recover enough to write, sing, and perform again. And there were no assurances that it wouldn’t return. I had always been athletic and healthy. It was shocking for me, and a struggle.

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Yesterday’s Seeds; Today’s Garden!

By Nana Opong-Owusu

They say the habits, values, and choices we’ve planted in our past, shape the garden we stand in today — the decisions we’ve made, the habits we’ve formed, the passions we’ve nurtured, and the values we’ve carried quietly in our hearts. I didn’t appreciate these types of thoughts as a child, but as an adult I oftentimes find myself reflecting.

Growing up, I was always drawn to movement. Sports weren’t just a hobby — they were a way of life. Whether it was the freedom associated with biking around the city with my childhood friends, the camaraderie of my basketball teams, or the adrenaline of soccer tournaments, exercise and movement have always grounded me. Now as an adult, I see it gave me structure, perseverance, and most importantly, a familiarity with pushing through adversity. But alongside that physical drive, I’ve always carried something else: a caring heart. A giving heart.

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Becoming The Person She Needed

If I could sit across from my 13-year-old-self right now, I think she’d stare at me wide eyed, somewhere between disbelief and admiration. Not because I’ve “figured it all out,” which I most certainly haven’t, but because I’ve kept and continue to keep going, even when I don’t know how.

I was 13 when I was diagnosed with Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome, an extremely rare autoimmune disorder that even many healthcare professionals to this day are confused by. At an age when most kids were worried about what to wear to school or how to pass their next quiz, I was learning how to pronounce the name of my condition and what it meant to live in a body that didn’t always feel like my own. There were many hospital visits and medications accompanied by a laundry list of side effects, and a lifelong experience of learning how to advocate for myself in a room full of doctors that barely know what’s going on in your body. That girl – the one with the IV in her arm and hope in her heart – she had no idea how strong she really was. But she kept going anyway. And I kept going too.

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The People Pleasing Pipeline

As an anxious child, I often felt the need to plan for every worst-case scenario or consequence, not only for myself, but for the actions of those around me. The best way I could describe it was as having thoughts and feelings that were constantly at 0 or 100, with no other level in between.

Another symptom of this was something I think a lot of people can relate to- a massive need for “people pleasing.” I think there is a misconception among us people pleasers that the only alternative to making everyone happy is to be outwardly rude or antagonistic. Sometimes, it feels like those are the only two options.

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How to Respond When People Ask, “How Are You?”

How are you?” is a standard greeting among friends and acquaintances. It can be a societal expectation or norm. Answering when living with a chronic disease like multiple sclerosis (MS) is anything but simple. Those with MS are rarely the standard answer of “fine.”

MultipleSclerosis.net published an article about navigating the How are you question with MS. The article resonated with many members, and it generated a number of comments! Here are some community insights. 

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