Elara Thorne

As told to The Growing Home by Maya L. and edited lightly for clarity and flow. I used to think I was great with people. I could walk into a busy coffee shop in Chicago, order an oat milk latte at Starbucks, make a joke with the barista and leave feeling like I had done … Read more

This as-told-to essay was submitted by Ava R. to The Growing Home and edited for length and clarity. I remember one Saturday in Chicago when I stood in the Trader Joe’s checkout line with a basket full of things for one, soup, raspberries, a tiny basil plant and a frozen pizza I planned to eat … Read more

As told to The Growing Home by Fiona R.; this essay has been edited for length and clarity. I met Denise in 2014, when we both ended up reaching for the same bruised avocado at Trader Joe’s in Chicago. We laughed, split the difference and kept talking in the parking lot long after the frozen … Read more

As told to The Growing Home by Leah R. and edited lightly for clarity and flow. I remember standing in a narrow kitchen in Chicago, balancing two bowls of pasta while he made our friends laugh in the next room. From the outside, we looked solid. We had the right photos, the easy chemistry, the … Read more

This as-told-to essay was submitted by Alicia R. to The Growing Home and edited for clarity and flow. I retired at 66 from a mid-sized healthcare office in Oak Park, just outside Chicago. For years, I had pictured retirement as a soft landing. I would drink coffee slowly, walk to the farmers market on Lake … Read more