Drop-off and pick-up time are like scenes from the ‘Twilight Zone’ Monday through Friday. A few blocks from daycare, I slowly wind down the volume to our quickly aging Kia. If you pulled up next to me just a few minutes prior, you would’ve caught a glimpse of me matching…

You’re not prepared to switch professions. That’s the reality you may be contemplating this very minute. — This unpreparedness might show up as overconfidence, anxiety, crippling depression, “shiny object syndrome,” or my personal favorite — denial. The only way to achieve success is by uncovering your purpose and using that to guide your decision-making. Because without that, you’re guessing at best. …

What do you hide, even from the people who supposedly know you best? — I’ve been hiding a painful secret for more than half my life. It’s affected how I treat myself, family, friends, and strangers, essentially shaping who I’ve been. …

This post is an entry in Modern Parent’s “Am I Doing This Right?” writing contest. Mic check, mic check. Am I doing this right? Let’s put it this way: if I had to choose between anything else in the world and my son, I’d choose my son without hesitation. Am…

We don’t need you to be our savior. Be in community with us, and know us. The state of law enforcement isn’t so black and white. There’s a middle-ground that is taken for granted. Our nation’s police don’t represent our racial, cultural, or communal makeup. For that reason, we continue…

I just want the best for him — but I fear he’ll be othered — Drop-off at my son’s daycare follows a familiar script: We leave home in my quickly aging Kia with its speakers throbbing, as I match the lyrical flows of the ’90s rappers who raised me. Upon approaching the nursery, I slowly reduce the volume and compose myself before parking alongside Audis…

Stay calm and ask your kid these three questions — My son is screaming at the top of his lungs. It’s as if I’ve ripped away all that matters to him in the world. The reason? “Hickory Dickory Dock” is glitching on Spotify. Who knows? Maybe that is all that matters to him. We’re making our way home after what…

Ten years ago, I set out for a timed mile run. The sky was clear of West Texas dirt, but the road was paved straight to torment. By the time I finished, I collapsed in front of my college apartment. My elapsed time was 10:08. At 19 years of age…

You are the difference-maker. One by one, cameras slowly awaken, and bright-eyed faces await on the other end — some excited, others bordering anxious and reluctant. I close my eyes softly, inhale deeply, and press the video button. With a glued smile, I happily greet each student by the first…