Running with Couches is a diary of a neurodivergent lawyer and parent.
Thirteen years ago, I was in my early 20s and living at home with my parents, my older sister, my sister’s (then) husband, and my younger brother. My sister and ex-brother-in-law were paying to store their furniture, but couldn’t afford to do so, so the pastor of a local church gave them permission to store their things in the church attic. I agreed to help them move their things, likely in exchange for a Chipotle burrito.
The moving team consisted of me, my brother, my sister, and my ex-brother-in-law. We had to load the U-Haul truck, drive it to the church, unload its contents, and return the truck. For some (still unexplained) reason, we had to do it on a weeknight, after we were released from our poorly-paying jobs but before the church locked its doors for the night. We had approximately an hour and a half.
We hustled up and down the stairs, sweating heavily in our ill-fitting office clothes. At one point, we were in enough of a rush that we were running with a couch. Since that day, we have used “running with couches” as a metaphor for a tough job that has to be done quickly and without proper planning or resources.
I’m no longer the depressed college grad living at home and working as an admin at a landscaping company. I am a lawyer, a writer, a spouse, a (sometimes shitty) friend, and the parent of two young children. I was diagnosed at the age of 40 with ADHD, though I prefer to identify more generically as neurodivergent. I’m juggling more than ever before, and always feel like I am one step from forgetting to get my child from daycare or sign into a virtual meeting. I’m constantly running with couches. But I also know that I’m not the only one, and so, in the midst of this chaos, I thought I might as well add one more task to the list and start a blog where I and others can share our stories. I hope you enjoy.