I’ve been waiting my whole life to say this. I’ve been waiting to cross this off my bucket list since I was a little girl.

And it finally happened: I’M IN THE NEW YORK TIMES!

I’m especially proud of this essay, which is about trying to work crossword puzzles with my grandmother, not just for where it landed, but also how it landed there.

I’ve known deep in my heart for years that I wanted to write compelling personal essays, even though they can be harder to place in publications than taking assignments or writing on a particular beat. Though it was more challenging, I listened to my intuition, which said: Write what you want and worry about finding someone to pay you for it later.

This essay came from the heart and I couldn’t be more thrilled that it landed at a publication I’ve admired and respected for as long as I can remember. I’m so grateful and humbled.

Please read my essay and let me know what you think!