A new supermarket opened near my home. To reach it, I leave my housing complex, walk across the street, and walk barely another half-block. You wouldn’t think this is a big deal! But this isn’t just any supermarket—it’s a Grand Frais supermarket. Shoppers here in France are so loyal to Grand Frais that they drive significant distances to shop at one. Lucky me! I am fortunate enough to have one within a five-minute walk. The best way to describe a Grand Frais is to compare it to Trader Joe’s in the US—only it’s like a Trader Joe’s on steroids. As

Although the intent was not conscious, in truth, Blackbird and its three sister novels turn out to be a personal case history of what is popularly called the Mother Wound. According to Bethany Webster, who coined the term, Mother Wound refers to "the pain of being a woman passed down through generations of women in patriarchal cultures. And it includes the dysfunctional coping mechanisms that are used to process that pain." Moreover, Ms. Webster states, "Difficulty and challenges between mothers and daughters are rampant and widespread but not openly spoken about. It’s generally considered taboo to acknowledge and discuss painful