We talk about forgiveness, volunteer with the LGBT Center, and learn how to create emotional boundaries in relationships.
A Letter From Our Founder
Dear reader,
I just returned from two weeks away with my family, and it was exactly what I needed. Time that moved slowly. Books that I read from start to finish. And mornings without an agenda. Having my children’s undivided attention and being able to give them mine was so special, and stepping out of the rhythm of ordinary life reminded me of what ordinary life is for.
And then I came home.
Within days of returning, I found myself in the middle of something I hadn’t been bracing for: my parents needed support. I love them, and our relationship is complicated, and the complication doesn’t cancel the love.
Showing up for my parents asks something particular of me. Ours is not a simple relationship. Doing for them, being present for them, has a way of bringing me back into contact with old hurts: resentments I am aware of, working on, and, if I’m honest, still carrying in ways I wish I weren’t.
Forgiveness, I have learned, is not something that happens once and then stays done. It is more like a practice. You choose it, and then you choose it again. Sometimes many times in the same afternoon.
I don’t share this because I have it figured out. I share it because I imagine some of you know this feeling… the love that is real and the hurt that is also real, living side by side. The work of continuing to show up for someone while you are still, quietly, tending to something they may not even know they left behind.
This month’s article is about forgiveness. Not the tidy, resolved kind. The real kind: what it actually is, what it does to us, and how we begin to move toward it even when it feels far away. I hope it meets you wherever you are.
And I hope you feel a little less alone in whatever you are carrying right now.
As always, if you’re looking for support, we’re here. You can reach us at info@takeroottherapy.com or call or text (323) 388-5578.
With care,
Saba Harouni Lurie (she/her/hers)
On The Blog
What Is Forgiveness and Why Does It Matter for Your Mental Health?
Running a business has taught me things I never expected to learn about myself, and not the things you might think. Yes, I’ve navigated the learning curve of marketing, profit and loss statements, and building a website from scratch. I once spent months dealing with a legal threat after using a photo without permission, and I settled in a way that still stings a little to think about. There has been no shortage of hard lessons. But none of that is what has challenged me most…
How to Help
LA LGBT Center Market Days
Join us at the LA LGBT Center South location to provide food relief through a free farmer’s market while offering a range of other services.
Market Days at the LA LGBT Center South location aims at providing immediate food relief through a free farmer’s market while offering a range of other essential services to enhance the overall well-being of the Black/Brown LGBTQ+ community.
Volunteers will support setup, food distribution, client engagement, and breakdown.
WHEN:
Friday, May 22nd
10 AM – 1:30 PM
WHERE:
Los Angeles LGBT Center – Center South
2313 West Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90008
LA Food Not Bombs Fundraiser
A few bands are playing a benefit show on May 2 at Bicicocina/Bike Kitchen to raise money for LA Food Not Bombs, who feed unhoused neighbors on Skid Row every Sunday. There will be a raffle as well + Karaoke until closing!
WHEN:
Saturday, May 2nd
6 PM – Close
WHERE:
The Bicycle Kitchen
4429 Fountain Ave
Los Angeles, California 90029
Community Events
listen to music outside in the daylight under a tree
nina keith: periphone a durational sound installation with special guest ensemble & girl debord
for all the ages
presented by leaving records and living earth sound by mobius acoustics
$10+ artist donation kindly appreciated
WHEN:
Saturday, May 23rd
1 PM
WHERE:
Tierra De La Culebra
240 S Ave 57,
Los Angeles, CA 90042
Women Trans Femme Thursdays
WTF THURSDAYS ARE BACK 🙌🏽
Every Thursday from 6-9pm we host open wrench hours for gender expansive folks at The Bicycle Kitchen. Come fix your bike, learn new skills, volunteer with us or just hang out with other women, trans, femme, non-binary folks.
WHEN:
Every Thursday
6 – 9 PM
WHERE:
The Bicycle Kitchen
4429 Fountain Ave
Los Angeles, California 90029
Featured Publications
My Mom Didn’t Believe I Was ‘Really Trying’ To Find Love. So She Took Things A Step Too Far.
featuring Saba Harouni Lurie
How to Create Emotional Boundaries in Your Relationship
featuring Saba Harouni Lurie
Why Do We Make Such Fast Friends on Vacation?
featuring Saba Harouni Lurie