Sensible

By: Gabriela Yareliz We are bopping today to Gwen Stefani’s “Misery,” and don’t let the title fool you. I am keeping my promise. This is not a sad song. This is not a song about her ex-husband. We left that behind us, and now we have a Gwen who is starting over. This song isContinue reading “Sensible”

Into the Pool

By: Gabriela Yareliz Today, I am sharing one of those anecdotes one simply does not forget from Born Standing Up, the bio by Steve Martin on his (brilliant) career in comedy. (I am a big fan). The book has a monochrome cover image with the title and his name in bright, sans serif yellow letters.Continue reading “Into the Pool”

2020 People

By: Gabriela Yareliz The other night, I was at the window searching for that Christmas star situation. Hand gripping the window sill that was probably painted over for the hundredth time in 1992, twisting my neck to see if I could catch a glimpse of anything behind the thick ceiling of gray clouds that reflectContinue reading “2020 People”

Two Years at a Bank

By: Gabriela Yareliz I was chewing on a pretzel and catching glimpses of my acne-stained cheeks in the reflection of the changing screen on my computer when his LinkedIn update appeared where the reflection of my face had been a split second ago. Two years working at a bank, it said. I looked at hisContinue reading “Two Years at a Bank”

Wide Awake

By: Gabriela Yareliz I am coming out of a season that I can only describe as exhausting, dark and uncertain. There is still plenty of darkness to go around in the world around us and plenty of circumstances that have not yet been made clear or resolved. And yet, something feels different. Apart from theContinue reading “Wide Awake”

Go in Peace

By: Gabriela Yareliz I think we have all found ourselves in certain types of prison in 2020, and by this I mean a place that confines us, where we feel up against a wall. Maybe our wings feel clipped. Maybe we feel afraid. I have been reflecting on all the pain people around me areContinue reading “Go in Peace”

Erwin McManus: The Futurist

By: Gabriela Yareliz Erwin McManus is one of my favorite thought leaders. He is a pastor, philosopher, writer and futurist. I identify so much with how he communicates Jesus and authentic faith living. Born in El Salvador, McManus has overcome so much. Christ found him, and since then, he has dedicated his life to sharingContinue reading “Erwin McManus: The Futurist”

Hispanic Heritage Month 2020

By: Gabriela Yareliz It feels like autumn. It’s like 2020 said it was ready and someone flipped the switch. The temperatures have dropped to crisp cool lows. If only someone could flip a switch and make the neighbor above me shut up. It’s like he thinks he is competing in American Idol every minute ofContinue reading “Hispanic Heritage Month 2020”

Rituals

I am up at 4:34 am, as we wait for the downpours Hurricane Laura is supposed to bring to NYC. There is an occasional drip-drip outside, but nothing else. I have been thinking a lot about rituals, lately. Sometimes, rituals get a bad rap. They are considered to just be routine or things on aContinue reading “Rituals”

A Lesson on Father’s Day

By: Gabriela Yareliz Father’s Day and Mother’s Day are often avoided by people who have experienced childhood trauma. Some people have experienced pain caused by one or both parents, so they distance themselves from the holiday and deeper yet, from the person it celebrates. Father’s Day isn’t a holiday I like to embrace. Sometimes, itContinue reading “A Lesson on Father’s Day”