Jodi Rae

This is the story of the day I had to Eat the Crust and put myself first — the day I found out my husband had cheated AGAIN. Is this sentence a little more dramatic than it should be? Absolutely. This wasn't a shock; it wasn't something new. The only difference this time was me - I was done. I knew I deserved more. I wanted more. It was betrayal layered on top of years of silenced doubts, overlooked red flags, and forgiveness I didn’t owe him. This was the moment I woke up, the moment I...

I was sixteen, pregnant, and terrified. There was no family meeting, no discussion of options; it was just assumed what we would do. The plan was simply handed to me: you’ll marry him.  And because no one told me otherwise, because no one even gave me words like choice or freedom, I believed it. I believed this was the only path, the only way forward. Then I miscarried. For a moment, it felt like the world cracked open just enough for possibility to slip in. I remember thinking, Maybe this...

When I think about where I first lost my voice, it goes back further than my marriage. It goes all the way back to when I was a little girl. My grandfather hurt me. From the time I was around four until I was about ten years old, I lived with that secret. At that age, I didn’t know how to speak up. I didn’t even understand what was happening, let alone how to put words to it. I knew it didn’t feel right, but I didn’t feel safe telling anyone. A part of me must have known it was wrong, but I...