It’s no secret that I’ve been separated for a very long time now. In the beginning of this year, things with my ex weren’t great (to say the least). As we continued with our parental and financial negotiations, our relationship hit an all time low, and I was beside myself as I struggled and fought with a man I once really, really loved. It’s baffling how love can turn into something that feels so much like hate—even when you know it’s not hate and never will be.

I went to bed endlessly focussed on my next move, and as I tossed and turned, the irony hit me like a ton of bricks: I couldn’t sleep because of the weight of the decision, but I really needed to sleep on it. A fire was rising up in my belly and I had no idea what to do with this energy, let alone how the heck to say goodnight to it. Tomorrow is another day, I thought to myself, and released any expectations of what another morning would bring.

For me, August was all about three words: out and about. My girlfriends and I, being the foodies we are, really made the most of our adventures and thoroughly checked out the restaurant scene in Toronto. With the incredible summer we’ve had here, it makes it super easy to enjoy everything Toronto has to offer. A friend of mine asked me to share all of my wonderful experiences I’ve had so far, so without further ado, here’s a list of my favs

Sitting amidst 380 people in a gigantic camp theatre nestled in Rockhill, New York, I fought back the endless stream of tears that were burning the back of my throat. (All I had to do was say go.) Up there on the stage was one of my favourite humans, Jonathan Fields, reading a chapter from his new book, How to Live a Good Life. I felt like he was talking directly to me. At that moment, the room ceased to exist. Here was his invitation to me:

Rushing from barbecue to barbecue. Hurriedly scooping up your kids from one activity, only to drop them off at the next. Trying to pack as many activities as possible into one weekend. I see this all the time, and before we know it? BOOM! Summer is over.

I’ve struck gold! (Okay, not literally.) But I did find some research highlighting the pressures that second generation South Asian women face when they try to bridge eastern and western cultures. Really, identity formation within two cultures is NOT an easy process. Sound familiar? Hell yeah! Ask any of my South Asian girlfriends and they’ll agree 100x over.