Life, One Cup at a Time
— Alyssa Silva

I’m still trying to wrap my head around this one: I will be turning 30 at the end of the month. To keep my columns professional, I used a period for that previous sentence. But please know there were…

“So, what’s your silver lining?” a friend asked me one night in late spring. My parents and I had recently decided to go forth and allow outdoor visits again, as long as our guests followed social distancing and mask-wearing…

I was a sophomore in high school when my parents and I agreed to home-school me during the winter months. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but a necessary one nevertheless. In January of that year, I had been hospitalized…

I admit that this column’s title is one I never thought I’d write. But alas, it is 2020, and most of this year has been a series of “never thought I’d ever” moments. So, for the sake of what’s…

In a speech to hundreds of people at my nonprofit organization’s annual gala, my mother stood at the podium and delivered her words poignantly and eloquently. She has always had a way with words, knowing…

It’s officially August, which is kind of hard to believe. Nonetheless, many people in the SMA community have anticipated this month for quite some time. Not only is it SMA Awareness Month, but it is…

This is going to be a tough truth to admit, mostly because I’m still a little embarrassed by it all these years later. But, here we go. When I was originally offered this role as a columnist for…

It’s no question that children are curious little people, and as someone in a wheelchair, I have often witnessed their curiosity. If I were to guess, I’d assume disabilities aren’t something they’ve seen in their short little lifetimes. As…

As I’m sure most of us can attest, the world is a messy place right now. It is impossible to ignore. While I have never experienced anything as unprecedented as these times, I have experienced the messiness of life…

For the past few months, I have been experiencing some debilitating health issues. I’ve spoken with my doctors. I’ve tried different medications. And while as a team, we have figured out ways to give my body some reprieve at…

Digital detoxes are all the rage these days, and for a good reason. If you didn’t already know, a digital detox is time spent disconnecting from all devices with a screen — smartphones, computers, and…

There’s a brand new medication currently waiting for me on my kitchen counter. I see it every single day. I debate taking it. I chicken out. I’ve developed some health issues in recent weeks (thank you, stress) that prompted…