Heart and Soul Healing Essentials

03/12/2026

Read the words in the post out loud to yourself 💛💫🤟🫶

03/12/2026

Disability Studies Quarterly (DSQ, dsq-sds.org) is seeking an Assistant Editor. This position is best suited for a graduate student who is interested in writing and editorial work in disability studies or a related field.

DSQ Assistant Editor Responsibilities: The DSQ Editor-in-Chief will negotiate duties and expectations of the Assistant Editor position to meet the needs of the journal and to match the skills of the Assistant Editor. The Editor will also provide training opportunities to develop and strengthen the Assistant Editor’s skillsets. There will be two Assistant Editors who will work collaboratively with the Editor-in-Chief.

Assistant Editor responsibilities will comprise no more than 250 work hours over a one-year (52-week) period; a five-hour/week commitment should be the average though the weekly load fluctuates based on the journal’s quarterly deadlines. Assistant Editor responsibilities could include the following, depending on the journal’s needs and the Assistant Editor’s skills:

managing and refereeing the peer review process for assigned submissions
recommending reviewers for new submissions
responding to emails from authors and reviewers
collaborating on final editorial decisions
writing decision letters
participating in weekly editorial meetings via zoom
creating agendas for editorial meetings
copyediting in Microsoft Word
working with the Janeway software to manage editorial workflow (training provided)
posting to social media
updating the DSQ editorial board members
updating the DSQ user database
assisting in communication with the SDS Board and the Board’s DSQ Liaison and serving as an ex-officio member of the SDS Publications Committee
Qualifications: This position is best suited to a graduate student who is interested in writing and editorial work in disability studies. The Assistant Editor will work remotely and can live anywhere, but should be comfortable with Zoom, Microsoft Word, Gmail, and Google Drive. The Assistant Editor will also need to learn and use the Janeway software system for managing article submissions and editorial workflow; OSU Libraries and the editorial team will provide training for this system. Other than weekly meetings, the work schedule is asynchronous and flexible. Applicants should have an academic and/or community background in disability studies and a strong commitment to the perspectives of disabled people. We especially encourage folks who identify as disabled, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, im/migrant, non-binary and/or multiply marginalized to apply.

Funding: The Society for Disability Studies (SDS) will provide a stipend of $5,100 for the Assistant Editor position, for a maximum of 250 hours of work. This is an independent contractor position and requires completion of IRS form W9. The stipend is paid monthly in the amount of $425. Benefits also include free SDS membership and free access to all SDS events while in the position.

Accommodations and Additional Support: The SDS President will provide additional support as needed and address funding requests for any needed disability access accommodations; such funding will be in addition to the $5,100 stipend.

TO APPLY:

Send a cv and a brief one- or two-page letter that describes your skills and why you want to do this job. Questions to consider include:

Why do you want to do this Assistant Editor work?

What experience do you have that relates to this position? We are interested in your research, editing experience, teaching, service, advocacy, and/or other life experience (especially disability-related) you think is relevant.

How comfortable are you dealing with scholarship from disciplines that are far from your own research?

Deadline for application: April 15, 2026

Please send your letter of application as a Word document (.docx) attachment to dsqeditors@disstudies.org and write “Assistant Editor Application” in the subject line.

https://disstudies.org/call-for-applications-assistant-editor-of-disability-studies-quarterly/

02/27/2026

Midday message…
Could be triggering..
Definitely inspiring….
Maya Angelou, gift to us…🖤

02/03/2026

Ever changing ebb and flow that alters our edges.

The Discomfort of Outgrowing the Role You Were Loved For

One of the strangest forms of growth is not learning who you are. It is realizing that the version of you people loved most was also the version that kept you smallest.

We rarely talk about this, but many relationships are built around roles. The responsible one. The easygoing one. The listener. The helper. The one who never causes trouble. These roles can feel like love, because they bring approval, stability, and belonging. People come to trust us in that shape. They know what to expect. They feel safe around the version of us that does not surprise them.

But then something changes.

You begin to need different things. You start setting boundaries. You stop laughing at what used to hurt. You become less available, less agreeable, less eager to prove your worth. Not because you are becoming cold, but because you are becoming honest. And that is where the discomfort begins.

Because growth does not only free you. It also disrupts the story others have been telling about you.

When people are used to you being the calm one, your anger feels like betrayal. When they are used to you being the strong one, your tiredness feels like weakness. When they are used to you being the generous one, your limits feel like selfishness. Sometimes the moment you change, you discover that what others loved was not only you, but the convenience of you.

This is why outgrowing a role can feel lonely. You are still the same person, but you are no longer performing the part that kept everyone comfortable. And the painful truth is that not everyone will celebrate your growth. Some will miss the old you, not because you were happier, but because you were easier to handle.

The real question becomes: are you being loved for who you are, or for who you have been trained to be?

Outgrowing a role does not mean rejecting the past. It means refusing to live inside it forever. It means allowing yourself to evolve, even if it confuses people, even if it costs you some approval, even if it forces you to be misunderstood for a while.

Because sometimes the most painful part of becoming yourself is watching who prefers you when you were smaller.

Painting: 'Stańczyk', 1862 by Jan Matejko

02/02/2026

Sound and Meditation Group.
We are honored to be here.

01/25/2026

Václav Havel is saying something simple and very true about human nature. He thought that inside every person, there is a quiet, good heart. It is a natural instinct to be fair, to help, and to cooperate. But life often teaches us to ignore that instinct. We get tired, we become cynical, or we are told that being good is for fools. That good heart doesn't disappear. It just goes to sleep. It becomes dormant, waiting for someone to remind it that it is okay to wake up.

That is exactly what Havel is doing with this quote. He is giving that quiet heart permission to beat loudly again. He is telling people, plainly, that being decent is not naive. Helping your neighbor, telling the truth, and playing by the fair rules are not silly ideas. They are the most sensible and practical things we can do. They are the basic glue that holds a family, a town, or a country together. Without that glue of simple goodwill, everything else falls apart. He is not dreaming of a perfect world. He is giving us the instruction manual for building a real one.

01/24/2026

Great winter recipe!!

Root Vegetable Gratin with Sweet Potatoes, Parsnips, and Beets

Ingredients:

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

2 medium parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced

2 medium beets, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pats

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil or butter.

In a large bowl, toss the sliced sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beets with olive oil, thyme, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated.

Layer the vegetables in the prepared baking dish, alternating colors for a visually appealing presentation. Dot the top with butter evenly.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 35–40 minutes until vegetables are tender. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 10–15 minutes to allow the top to brown slightly.

Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra thyme leaves if desired. Serve warm as a comforting side dish.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cooking Time: 55 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Kcal: 210 kcal | Servings: 4–6 servings