You're Late to the Party! Glad you’re here.

I really know how to make brownies. They’re good. I’ve been making brownies since I was 11 or 12 years old. People wonder what I do that is special to cause the brownies to taste so good, have the texture they have, and just be so good.

Sometimes, someone will ask me how to help them with their brownie issue. I listen and then give them advice. Viola! Their brownies turn out! Change your oven temp, use this ingredient rather than that, decrease bake time and then check, etc., and all of a sudden their world opens up. They now have delicious brownies too. They are late to the party! Now, they know. Had they only known this years ago their brownies could have been just as good this whole time.

Educating on brownies is much like educating on divorce. Divorce is my world and so I know it. You tell me the problem and I know how to address it. If you stump me, then I’ll let you know and go figure out the answer. Obviously divorces are more complicated than making brownies. But there are many parallels and similarities. You tell me the problem, I tell you how to fix it, and then we move forward. Sometimes the problem isn’t what you think it is, and we grow from there.

The best part of assisting individuals, whether adults or children, navigate divorce is watching them learn and grow from it. People learn so much going through divorce. There are concepts I have learned over the years that when I share these bits of information or advice, and they take it, it’s like their world opens up. They are late to the party; they just did not know. Had they known, perhaps they would have avoided a pitfall or two. There are people who won’t make it to the party. I’ve learned to accept that.

I’m thankful you want to still go to the party. You are not alone being late. We all are in some way or other. There are concepts I learn that I wish I knew years ago. There are tools others have that I did not know and vice versa. It is just how it is. The beauty is joining the party of the wealth of information that is out there to help you and your family, and growing from it.

I’m not into criticizing you for messing up your brownies all these years. We all go through it. I’m thankful that you are aware enough to even recognize your brownies could use improvement, and that you have the humility to ask and grow. Awareness, recognizing, asking, learning, and growing: that is true strength. Give yourself a break as you learn divorce, or whatever new endeavor you are in. Join the party, it’s ok you’re late.