Why I’m Not Miserable

Plus, some exciting personal news

One of the most common questions I get from strangers familiar with my work is whether I am miserable. One reasonably common question I get from friends is why I don’t seem to be. True, I struggle with periods of world-induced despair, and the current situation—nationally, globally, and historically—is so dire that I of course have times when I lie awake at night thrumming with sorrow. But all that does is make me too tired the next day to fight as hard as I’m trying to—here and elsewhere—for girls and women and other vulnerable people. What actually helps me hang onto my equanimity is finding pleasure and joy wherever I can. Here are some of the things getting me through this season.