“I’ve grown much more comfortable in my own skin. Raising two beautiful brown boys has raised me. They’ve asked me the same questions I used to ask, and now I feel like I have more answers, not just for them but for me.”
Loved reading this. I feel similar to you Noha in that regard. Feeling comfortable in your own skin is huge, and when that happens I think your personal writing can really pop!
Thank you so much Istiaq. I'm curious, have you found that you grew more comfortable in your skin as you grew older? Was it something that was always there for you or a more recent discovery?
Was just reflecting on this with my friend this past week. When did I feel comfortable in my own skin? Undergrad? Nope. Med school? Definitely not! Residency? Yes, as I grew into my role at work and I became more confident in myself. In residency I also returned to my birth country and that was huge, seeing where I was born and where all the customs I grew up with developed, that helped solidify it more. I’ll also add I’m at an age where I feel confident in knowing right vs. wrong and sometimes it can be daunting to figure those things out without anyone explicitly showing you. Parenthood is exciting in that way, I would love to show my children those things that I wasn’t shown (not to anyone’s fault). And I hope my kids feel comfortable sooner than I did but I know these things have such varying timelines.
Noha - I'm going to be sitting with these lines, "The two things that inspire me most in writing are beauty and honesty. I don’t need it to be shiny. In fact, I prefer it if it's not."
Robert - Grateful for the way you shower others with love and opportunities to share like this bro.
Beautiful insights on writing and the honesty and brokenness that sit side by side in this thing we do when we put our heart on the page. Noha, every time I see your essays in my inbox I light up. I save them so that I may savor them. Thank you, Robert, for the thought provoking questions!
This is beautiful, Noha is good people. Just a wonderful writer and lovely human being. I’m glad this exists.
Awwwww this warmed me this morning.
“I’ve grown much more comfortable in my own skin. Raising two beautiful brown boys has raised me. They’ve asked me the same questions I used to ask, and now I feel like I have more answers, not just for them but for me.”
Loved reading this. I feel similar to you Noha in that regard. Feeling comfortable in your own skin is huge, and when that happens I think your personal writing can really pop!
Thank you Robert and Noha.
Thank you so much Istiaq. I'm curious, have you found that you grew more comfortable in your skin as you grew older? Was it something that was always there for you or a more recent discovery?
Was just reflecting on this with my friend this past week. When did I feel comfortable in my own skin? Undergrad? Nope. Med school? Definitely not! Residency? Yes, as I grew into my role at work and I became more confident in myself. In residency I also returned to my birth country and that was huge, seeing where I was born and where all the customs I grew up with developed, that helped solidify it more. I’ll also add I’m at an age where I feel confident in knowing right vs. wrong and sometimes it can be daunting to figure those things out without anyone explicitly showing you. Parenthood is exciting in that way, I would love to show my children those things that I wasn’t shown (not to anyone’s fault). And I hope my kids feel comfortable sooner than I did but I know these things have such varying timelines.
Thank you for sharing your story here
What a beautiful soul.
You are too kind, Sharifa. My heart has been a bit blocked off lately and then very very tender, and this love has all been so affirming. Thank you.
Noha - I'm going to be sitting with these lines, "The two things that inspire me most in writing are beauty and honesty. I don’t need it to be shiny. In fact, I prefer it if it's not."
Robert - Grateful for the way you shower others with love and opportunities to share like this bro.
Thanks Jamal. I don't think I know how to be shiny, so I relate to the rawness in others.
Beautiful insights on writing and the honesty and brokenness that sit side by side in this thing we do when we put our heart on the page. Noha, every time I see your essays in my inbox I light up. I save them so that I may savor them. Thank you, Robert, for the thought provoking questions!
Kendall, your words really touched me, and brought a smile to my face. Thank you! And thank you to Robert...