ad finem fidelis

being yourself in a world that constantly tries to make you someone else is the greatest accomplishment.

[kokuroizelmare]

Old Navy floral midi dress

EUC. Navy dress with orange, pink, blue flowers. Midi length - hits around mid calf (I’m 5’6”)

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Old Navy floral midi dress.

[kokuroizelmare]

Awkward moment #5647 of my life

At the library, checking out a book, and the librarian compliments my kids saying how cute they are, followed by:

“Due in 4 weeks” - in a very excited, upbeat way, prompting me to say….

“Omg really, you are?! Congrats! I couldn’t even tell!”

Librarian: “No. The book.”

OH.

🤦‍♀️😳☠️

[kokuroizelmare]

This moment still haunts me every day. I could hear the people behind me grumbling their disapproval as I walked out too.

[kokuroizelmare]

You Take a Piece of Me, With You

Hello, again. I didn't realize this place still existed. Such a cozy corner from back in the day, filled with dreams and angst and youthful hope.

I didn't expect to stumble back here again, but I watched a weird 2000s movie and the closing credits played a song that brought me back to that time and I thought, I wonder if this thing is still here...and it is!

Now on a night that still feels unnaturally quiet, with a house emptier than I had ever planned for at this stage, it's time to visit some nostalgia.

[like-fairy-tales]

By: Kerry

[jasfly]

FOR ANYONE THAT NEEDS IT…

I don’t usually get too caught up in ‘celebrity mourning’. The loss of someone is tragic, regardless of their occupation. But Robin’s death hit me in a way I never expected, for two deeply personal reasons. First, I literally don’t remember not knowing who Robin Williams was. Even as a child, I remember identifying him as 'the funny man’. My grandmother and I watched him dazzle during The Tonight Show visits, he taught me about friendship in Aladdin, took me on a magical journey in What Dreams May Come, inspired me with Dead Poets Society and gave me a lot to think about in Good Will Hunting. Robin Williams was an active verb in my life. He set a standard that I assumed would be a constant for many more years to come. His death leaves me truly shocked. Still. Which leads me to the second reason. I was first diagnosed with depression at 19. I’d stumbled through a pretty rocky childhood and eventually two years later, it all caught up with me one night when I just didn’t think I could stomach another day of intense sadness. I swallowed a bottle of Tylenol PM. Now, did I want to die? Not really. But that was the only way I could break through this overwhelmingly thick barrier of hopelessness that stood between myself and everyone else. Having your stomach pumped is enough to scar you for life. Trust me on this. More importantly, that and the look of genuine fear in my fathers eyes were enough to make me want to learn how to live with depression. It is a disease. It is not an emotion. And it’s something that with lots of time, self work and consistent effort, anyone can overcome. I am living proof. People with depression often hide in plain sight. In the worst of times, we go about our lives with canned responses, doing just enough to not ring any alarms because when you’re in the thick of it, the answer to everything is, 'what’s the point?’

But, you. That’s the point. You.

These days depression is apart of my life much life dieting. It’s an exercise in discipline. Once every four or five months I’ll have one really tough day where it’ll feel like my entire life is going to hell. It’s in those moments where I evoke the emergency response part of myself that’s ready to remind me that I’m not having a bad life, just a bad day. Then I wait it out. Or if I can’t, I call someone. More than anything I’ve learned there is no shame in simply saying, 'I need some help’ or 'I’m having a tough time’ or 'I just need to hear a friendly voice.’ I’m human. And thankfully, so is everyone else.

I say all of this because as I reflect on Robin and the brilliant catalog of laughs and lessons he left us, I can’t help but wish he’d remembered that he wasn’t having a bad life. Just one last bad day.

And maybe we can all use this as Robin’s final gift to us, a heartbreaking reminder that there is no shame in simply picking up the phone, sending a text, a tweet, a status update or simply walking outside and saying, 'I’m having a thought time.’ Maybe that can be the lesson amidst our confusion and grief…for anyone who needs it.

O’ Captain! My Captain! Thank you.

[kokuroizelmare]

So sad reading this now. Check on your friends. 

[harrypotterhousequotes]

HUFFLEPUFF: “We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” –Viktor E. Frankl (Man’s Search for Meaning)

[harrypotterhousequotes]

RAVENCLAW: “You are destined to fly, but that cocoon has to go.” –Nelle Morton (The Journey Is Home)

[harrypotterhousequotes]

HUFFLEPUFF: “Two things stand like a stone. Kindness in another’s trouble, and courage in your own.” –Diana, Princess of Wales

[kokuroizelmare]

Wandering through the store

Overwhelmed

Sad

Dead

Numb

Everyone asking me for snacks and all I can do is hold back tears and silently nod and keep walking

No energy for anything

And just longing to feel something else

Anything else

[sweetoothgirl]

Cosmic Brownies 💫🪐🌙

(Recipes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

[kokuroizelmare]

Seriously would not be upset if someone were to anonymously send me these in the mail

[robeblr]

The GI Rights Hotline provides accurate, helpful counseling and information on military discharges, AWOL and UA, and GI Rights:Why should I

[rawjoy]

being apolitical is being complicit. being silent is being complicit. being indifferent is being complicit. black lives matter. black lives matter. black lives matter.

[hail-lucifina]

TRAYVON MARTIN (Walking home with iced tea and Skittles. Shot by George Zimmerman, who was found NOT GUILTY)

KEITH SCOTT (Sitting in car, reading. Shot by police officer, who was NOT CHARGED)

ATATIANA JEFFERSON (Looking out her window, shot by police officer, who is STILL UNDER INDICTMENT for murder)

JONATHAN FERRELL (Asking for help after auto accident. Shot twelve times by police, case ended in MISTRIAL)

JORDAN EDWARDS (Riding in a car. Shot in the back of the head by police officer, who was found GUILTY of murder ⭐)

STEPHON CLARK (Holdng a cel phone. Shot 8 times, 6 in the back. Officers NOT CHARGED)

AMADOU DIALLO (While taking out wallet, officers fired 41 shots by four officers, who were all ACQUITTED)

RENISHA MCBRIDE (Auto accident, knocked on door for help. Homeowner was found GUILTY of second-degree murder ⭐)

TAMIR RICE (Playing with toy gun, shot by police officer arriving on scene. Officer was NOT CHARGED)

SEAN BELL (Hosting a bachelor party, 50 rounds fired by police officers, who were found NOT GUILTY of charges)

WALTER SCOTT (Pulled over for brake light, shot in the back by police officer, who pleaded GUILTY to CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS *NOT* MURDER)

PHILANDO CASTILE (Pulled over in car, told officer he had a legally registered weapon in car. Officer ACQUITTED of all charges)

AIYANA JONES (Sleeping, accidentally shot by officer in a raid on wrong apartment. Officer CLEARED OF ALL CHARGES)

TERRENCE CRUTCHER (Disabled vehicle, shot by police officer, who was found NOT GUILTY of manslaughter.)

ALTON STERLING (Selling CDs, shot at close range while being arrested. NO CHARGES FILED)

FREDDIE GRAY (Beaten to death by officers while being transported in police van. All officers involved were ACQUITTED)

JOHN CRAWFORD (Shopping at WalMart, holding a BB gun on sale, police officer was NOT CHARGED)

MICHAEL BROWN (Shot by twelve times by officer, including in the back. NO CHARGES FILED)

JORDAN DAVIS (Killed because he was playing loud music. Shooter found GUILTY of first-degree murder ⭐)

SANDRA BLAND (Pulled over for traffic ticket, tasered and arrested. SUSPICIOUS SUICIDE while in jail. NO CHARGES)

AHMAUD AUBREY (Jogging, shot by two men who claimed they suspected him of burglaries. Both men charged with murder and aggravated assault ⭐)

BOTHAM JEAN (Shot at home, which police officer mistook for her own. Officer found GUILTY of murder ⭐)

OSCAR GRANT (Handcuffed and face-down, officer shot him in the back. Officer found GUILTY of involuntary manslaughter ⭐)

COREY JONES (Waiting by his disabled vehicle, was shot three times by police officer, who was found GUILTY of murder ⭐)

Remember them all. ✊🏻✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿

Also note, these are only the stories caught by the media and/or on video.

[niafromburgz]

One of my favorite posters from yesterday’s Montreal #blacklivesmatter protest ✨

[tinyshe]

[bearded-shepherd]

CNN Live coverage when Trump was  walking towards the church

[gaysemiotics]

Holy fucking shit

[kokuroizelmare]

Actions speak louder than photo ops

[kokuroizelmare]

May 23.

The evening of my first kiss.

The epic beach trip with new and old friends, carving our names in the sand wall.

The party where my friend lit himself on fire and I told another friend I was pregnant.

The day my husband graduated and we prepared for the move to TX.

The day I bought my minivan, on my own, in cash I saved. 

The day, or at least the weekend, that you chose to change our family forever through your selfishness. 

I made a post on the dangers of staying silent. And yet I felt so called out on it in my personal life. Everywhere there is so much hate and fear, and we need true love to bring peace - love that is justice, righteous anger, courage, compassion, mercy, understanding, empowerment.

Both in the world and in this home that is needed. Only fear has such a strong hold. But is the temporary peace of staying silent worth the pain that will continue if I say nothing?