(Photo: On the road to Sejong, South Korea)

I have been struggle-busing a lot lately. The time-consuming tasks at work, the day-in-day-out confrontations that drain my energy, the endless chores, the inability to get true rest, some personal matters that are weighing heavy on my heart – it’s all adding up to make a grumpy Ali who is finding it difficult to get up and get to work every day. 

Maybe it’s seasonal depression, maybe it’s because it’s eight months into the school year and we’re all sick of each other, maybe it’s Maybelline.