How is that for some clickbait!? The truth is, "UTIs and glitter" was literally how we ended last night's meet-up. I won't get into the explanation of how that came to be, because it won't do it justice, but I kept the headline as a promise to all those who shared a laugh with me last night.

Our conversations during our free monthly meet-ups take us in a variety of directions (clearly), and in order to ensure we circle back for reference, we post these resource blogs the day (or two) following a meet-up. The intent is to provide a roundup of resources or references from the conversation that night.

Last night, we hosted our second meet-up at the month, this one at The Commons. There were some new people and many returning faces that we haven’t seen in a while, including some members of the local Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) chapter.

THEMES:

• Shining a spotlight: when things trigger us or we feel the dark side or "shadow side" of certain words or traits, try to shift the perspective. What is the positive side of something that makes us sad or angry?

• Reflecting on how far we have come: if you are someone who journals or writes about your experiences, try the practice of going back through your old notebooks and reading what you had written in the past. You may find that you don't remember or even recall feeling the way your emotions were portrayed on that page, and that shows that you are not the same person you once were. You have growth. You are healing.

• Supporting someone who has suicidal thoughts or tendencies: what is the right thing to say to someone who is hurting so deeply? There were many great suggestions posed by the group:

  • "What do you need from me right now?"

  • "I am here for you."

  • "Can I take you somewhere?"

  • "Can I bring you something?"

"Start where you are. Do what you can. Use what you have." — Sheryl Anderson, BFF board member and co-facilitator

If none of this works for you, laughing can help too.

To bed, bath... and beyond (wise, I know).

— Amber Craig