Author Archives: existentialcrisisat17

As a young woman, I had a leader who I really looked up to. In particular, I looked at her marriage as a prime example for what I wanted my future to look like. One day, I asked her what the secret was to her beautiful marriage. “It’s simple,” she said. “Before we got married,Continue reading “W13: Navigating the In-law Relationship”

When I was in third grade, my teacher decided to create a classroom simulation of the U.S. government. I was elected by the “president” to be a member of the Supreme Court. For half an hour each day, different members of our grade would bring us “cases”. These ranged from fights on the playground toContinue reading “W12: Unity with Differences”

Once upon a time, a beautiful young couple walked out of the doors of the temple. Their faces glowed as they shared their first kiss as a married couple. It seemed that eternal happiness was within their grasp. Together, they could face anything. Yet, as the days and months and years passed, they began toContinue reading “W11: Intimacy”

One of my favorite depictions of a happy marriage comes from the movie Up. In the movie, Carl’s wife Ellie dreams of adventure and of finding the legendary Paradise Falls. Despite Carl’s more reserved temperament, he supports Ellie’s dream. In fact, after she dies, he makes it his life’s mission to complete the journey. AlthoughContinue reading “W10:Dreaming of a Happy Marriage”

As a teenager, I had a lot of anger inside of me. My family life was less than ideal, and the circumstances surrounding me seemed unfair and dark. Often, the painful emotions I felt erupted into harsh words, slammed doors, and contempt. My fuse was short, and my temper was hot. I was much likeContinue reading “W09: Professional Conflict Avoider”

My mother tells me that I am stubborn. I prefer to call myself determined and tenacious. Whichever word you use, I have a tendency to decide that I am right and stick to that resolve with everything that I have. For example, as a child, I hated mayonnaise with a passion. One day, my motherContinue reading “W08: Pride Cometh Before a Fall”

One of my favorite songs is an 80s ballad entitled “Total Eclipse of the Heart” sung by Bonnie Tyler. It has that perfect blend of drama, belting, crashing drums, angelic choirs, and (if you’ve seen the music video) big hair. The lyrics for the first verse read- “Every now and then I get a littleContinue reading “W07:Total Eclipse of the Heart”

My dad absolutely loves the musical Les Misérables, so listening to that soundtrack is one of my first memories. I remember that as a little girl, my favorite song was “Castle on a Cloud”. In this song, a little orphan girl sings about her dream of escaping her dreary life and finding refuge in (youContinue reading “W06:Castle on a Cloud”

When I picture horsemen, I envision the Nazgûl. You know, the ones from the Lord of the Rings with no face and dark hoods and really sharp spears that they use to skewer poor Frodo like a kebab? If you don’t know what I am talking about, let me give you a little reminder. LittleContinue reading “W05:How to Avoid Getting Skewered”

When I was about thirteen, I discovered Pinterest. Wow, what a day that was! I quickly found the extensive “wedding” side of Pinterest, and I fell down the rabbit hole fast. That original board is still alive and well today. However, I realized recently that somewhere along the way, I started thinking a lot aboutContinue reading “W04: First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage”