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Essays

Personal stories about parenting, health, pop culture and more.

Back to life

As an Arab woman in my 20s, making warak anab felt like a rite of passage

The labor the dish requires is a reflection of Arab culture and how we tend to each other.

I went through fertility treatments for 10 years, and I'd do it all over again

My doctor told me in three decades of practice, he had never seen a case like mine.
collage of trash can holding old calendars, pregnancy tests, and paper balls
collage of trash can holding old calendars, pregnancy tests, and paper balls

I did my own makeup on my wedding day. My friends thought I was crazy

My Indian wedding was bright and bold in many ways — but when it came to my makeup, I wanted to keep it simple. 
Sachin Soni
Sachin Soni

IVF ruined my life. Here’s what I wish I had known

Three years, five egg retrievals, 10 embryo transfers, 19 embryos and $165,000 later, and I’m exactly where I started. Only, broke and broken.
collage of Kaitlyn Abdou with ultrasound and flower on light yellow
collage of Kaitlyn Abdou with ultrasound and flower on light yellow

Forget being first: Why I’m happy to be my husband’s second wife

He learned a lot in his first marriage. Now I get to reap the benefits. 
collage of man putting a ring on a womans hand
collage of man putting a ring on a womans hand

I got a psychic reading 3 months after losing my dad. How it helped me heal

I was bereft about never hearing from my dad again. After my session, the feeling changed.

I hated when other moms told me to ‘just wait.’ And now I do it myself

Yes, it's an annoying thing to say. But maybe it's not all bad.
collage of womans hand holding baby bottle next to womans hand holding car keys
collage of womans hand holding baby bottle next to womans hand holding car keys

24 hours in a 'DunKings' tracksuit

I wore the tracksuit, made famous by the Super Bowl commercial, for a full day in New York.

How a routine C-section turned into the most traumatic event of my life

Months later, I'm still processing the trauma from my birth experience.
collage of illustration of pregnant woman on top of cloud background
collage of illustration of pregnant woman on top of cloud background

Was the 3-minute eclipse worth the years I spent planning for it? Yes, and here's why

I made the trip from New York City to Llano, Texas to witness the cosmic phenomenon firsthand.
Elena Nicolaou
Elena Nicolaou