A Fresh Start for 2019

Where have you been?

Welcome to January 2019. I haven’t written on here for 11 months. Which isn’t surprising; a lot has changed in that time. I have a new job, we’re working on our house, and we traveled to the other side of the globe. But I’ve mostly come up with excuses on why I’m too busy to write.

Isn’t that easier than writing? Making excuses for not writing.

In the course of the past 11 months Jason and I have had a lot of discussions about what it means to be interfaith, where we see our next parts and what this blog is for both of us since he’s so inherently involved. One conversation was about being anonymous.

And I recognize this blog isn’t fully anonymous, a good reverse image search and you’ll find me. But, for most people, it’s fairly anonymous. This is a conversation Jason and I have had a lot lately. We’re participating in our community and our names are attached to interfaith work and discussions. We don’t make any secrets about it in our offline life — so why should it be a secret online? I’m not embarrassed, it’s just deeply personal and there’s a level of vulnerability that we’re ok with now.

And I will say, Jason was never opposed with this project being open, public everything from the beginning. I feel those judgements a lot differently than he does. It’s strange, nobody has come up to chastise him for marrying me (yet) in the same way I’ve experienced.

So What Changed?

Since the meeting at the JCC about the state of interfaith families in our area, which was the last thing I wrote about. I’ve been more open in the community. We’ve had more group get togethers, grown our membership, and expanded the makeup of our interfaith families. Recently, some of the work we were doing with the local JCC expanded to include classes and programs. And they’re programs for interfaith families of all makeups including those who are dating and engaged and Jewish grandparents. All of this is amazing news that I’m hopeful we can build upon as a community. But if I’m comfortable sharing the details in person, I believe I need to have the same transparence in my writing too.

So I’m Erin, I was raised Catholic and in college I met at Nice Jewish Boy named Jason and ever since we’ve been together. We’re big into cooking, board games and finding our next vacation. Suggestions are always welcome.

What’s Next?

I set writing goals and resolutions every year. And I never keep them. One of my goals for 2019 is to write more consistently. So as opposed to just leaving it up and writing when I feel like it, setting aside 45 minutes each day to write and 45 minutes each week to edit is now part of my practice. I’m going to write more about what we’re doing in our community, what’s happening in our own lives and what we’re reading. So I’ll be posting here and actively participating on Twitter and Instagram. Here’s to 2019 and finding our own voices.