Ivana Esslinger

In September, something happened that made me fear I could lose my son. There are moments in a mother’s life that open a door you pray you’ll never have to walk through — a door into a reality where love and loss sit side by side, breathing the same air. Even though he survived — he is safe, alive, here — my heart walked through that doorway. And once it opened, something in me began to unravel. I found myself asking a question I never wanted to face: Does the possibility of losing my child...

“Authenticity” — it’s everywhere these days. A buzzword splashed across social media captions, wellness blogs, and coffee mugs. And yet,...

There’s a little stardust in us all. In darkness, we shine. Shine on, baby. We each carry a light — a spark that’s uniquely ours. It’s...