Alicia Reagan

I have sat in church during marriage sermons and felt like I disappeared. Everyone laughing at the husband and wife stories.Everyone nodding along when the pastor talks about “date night” and “keeping the spark alive.” Everyone turning to smile at their spouse when he says, “Reach over and take your partner’s hand.” And you sit there. Hands in your lap. Heart tight. Trying to keep your face calm. Valentine’s Day just makes it louder. Sermon series on love. Couple challenges. Marriage...

There were nights I rocked a crying baby with dishes in the sink, laundry sour in the washer, and another little one calling my name from down the hall. My body ached, my eyes burned, and the thought that kept circling my mind was, “I cannot do this again tomorrow.” If someone had told me then, “You just need to rest,” I might have cried or laughed. Rest felt like a joke. Rest was for other women with quieter homes, easier babies, or husbands who came home early. Not for me. Maybe you feel...

There is a sound to chronic pain. People who do not live with it rarely understand that part. Pain is not silent. It has its own language, its own rhythm, and its own presence. It does not stay politely in the background. It moves in. It follows you. It speaks whether you want to listen or not. Pain affects more than the body. It affects your sleep, your thoughts, your concentration, and sometimes your very breath. There are moments when the pain rises so sharply that tears fall before you...