Notes on Living

About Notes on Living

In Notes on Living I make sense of what it means to be alive by exploring deeper questions hiding in everyday moments. Sometimes they're serious, sometimes they're light, but they're almost always a little messy. Fair warning: I don't hold back from saying what I think and I don't avoid hard topics. If you're up for a raw and vulnerable look at life as we're living it, then welcome. I'm glad you're here. elicitingesperance.substack.com (https://elicitingesperance.substack.com/s/notes-on-living?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Sarah Berke

Category

kids & family · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

1 May 2023

Latest episode

16 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

21 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Oct 2026

   Welcome to Notes on Living

   A few years ago, the word esperance popped up as the word of the day in my dictionary app, and I couldn't let it go. This is the story of how a word that sounds like the love child of optimism and hope became the heart of this community. To read more, click here (https://elicitingesperance.substack.com/p/esper-what). If you'd like to receive these essays in both written and audio form, subscribe to Eliciting Esperance here (https://elicitingesperance.substack.com/). And if this episode resonated with you, please consider sharing it with a friend or rating the podcast. Both help more people find this work, and I'm grateful. Esperance (es-per-uhns): the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best. Thank you to Joris Vermeer (https://pixabay.com/users/jorisvermeer-51604229/) for the use of their human-created music for this podcast. Get full access to Eliciting Esperance at elicitingesperance.substack.com/subscribe (https://elicitingesperance.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

2. 

   9 Oct 2026

   The book ban is not the point.

   Warning: I swear in this audio/video, and there are mature topics discussed. I would advise not listening/watching to it with kids around. It's possible to be so focused on the argument we're having that we lose sight of what actually matters. This is about the stories we tell, the narratives we use to keep people from hearing one another, and what it takes to have meaningful conversations about difficult things. A personal note: As a person who broadcasts a lot of myself online, I try to be as transparent and authentic as I can. My children, however, are not of age to make such a choice. So out of respect for their privacy (and potentially safety, because the internet is a wild place) I am intentionally not specifying the name of the county/school district in which I live. If you know me personally, please don’t put any geographically identifiable information in the comments that is more specific than the state of Georgia. Click here (https://elicitingesperance.substack.com/p/the-book-ban-is-not-the-point) if you’d prefer to read this content. Related links The referenced e-mail and the transcript of the superintendent’s remarks are reproduced in the comments of my initial rant about it, available here (https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdbqL_ghMFy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&obrf=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==), here (https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdbqL_ghMFy/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&obrf=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==), and here (https://substack.com/@sarahjberke/note/c-340103678?r=2clfct&utm_source=notes-share-action&utm_medium=web). The full transcript of the beginning of the year superintendent's speech–unedited except to remove timestamps for readability and redact the district and superintendent’s names—here (https://sarahberke.com/s/District-kickoff-video-transcript-redacted.pdf). The video is publicly available on YouTube and I used transcription software for the text version. The Georgia law referened that kids receive human trafficking awareness education annually beginning in 6th grade is O.C.G.A. § 20-2-142 — amended by HB 287 (enacted 2021), and implemented through GA DOE Rule 160-4-2-12. ALA's data on book bans (https://www.ala.org/bbooks/book-ban-data). If you'd like to receive these essays in both written and audio form, subscribe to Eliciting Esperance here (https://elicitingesperance.substack.com/). And if this episode resonated with you, please consider sharing it with a friend or rating the podcast. Both help more people find this work, and I'm grateful. Esperance (es-per-uhns): the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best. Thank you to Joris Vermeer (https://pixabay.com/users/jorisvermeer-51604229/) for the use of their human-created music for this podcast. Get full access to Eliciting Esperance at elicitingesperance.substack.com/subscribe (https://elicitingesperance.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

3. 

   8 Sept 2026

   We need to talk about Lindsay Clancy

   A content warning: if discussion around any of the subjects of postpartum psychosis, postpartum depression, the death of a child generally, or the murder of a child specifically, would be detrimental to your mental health, please skip this month. However. If you can manage it—even though these subjects are heavy—I ask you to stick with me. We can’t keep looking away from things that are hard (unless, as I said, they would adversely impact your own mental health journey—the oxygen mask has to go on you first). That said, this isn’t one to listen to with young ears around. Referenced Links: - The best summaries I’ve found: PBS (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/key-things-to-know-about-lindsay-clancys-case-after-judge-declares-mistrial), The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/04/lindsay-clancy-trial-takeaways), and the BBC (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg7mlmg475go). - Friday a friend of mine sent me this IG post (https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db_MT9Ej0Jk/?stkn=MXQ5c3RpYXByenQ5OQ==) (worth watching—if you don’t have IG, you don’t have to be signed in to watch—but please be aware of language you may not want your kids to hear). - In Lindsay Clancy’s case, the people who loved her saw her struggling. They tried to get her help. But it wasn’t enough (see this PBS article (https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-the-lindsay-clancy-trial-reveals-about-a-broken-postpartum-mental-health-system)). I’m sure there are more ways to support moms, that’s just off the top of my head. Here (https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc9VzqDnZ-s/?stkn=c2hoMGtmMTF0cjFn) is another great IG post from Libby Ward (Diary of an Honest Mom) that sums it up beautifully. Here are some resources to help with postpartum mental health: Postpartum Support International Provider Directory (https://postpartum.net/get-help/provider-directory/) Postpartum Support International’s main website (https://postpartum.net/), and their phone and text based resources: Call the PSI HelpLine: 1-800-944-4773 (#1 En Español or #2 English) Text “Help” to 800-944-4773 (EN) or Text en Español: 971-203-7773 Finally, access the written essay here: https://elicitingesperance.substack.com/p/we-need-to-talk-about-lindsay-clancy (https://elicitingesperance.substack.com/p/we-need-to-talk-about-lindsay-clancy) About Sarah: I'm a writer, reader, and mom to two strong-willed elementary school daughters. I write stories, think about life, and bring people together around books. My work is rooted in the ways we make sense of life, be it through stories, conversation, or the connections we make with one another. My free personal essay series Eliciting Esperance: Notes on Living (https://elicitingesperance.substack.com/), explores deeper questions hidden in everyday moments. I also promote books I recommend through my Books Between Friendsplatform, teach creative writing to elementary schoolers through an after-school enrichment program, and am querying my debut novel, YOU HAVE TO HANG ON. When I'm not writing, I can usually be found reading, negotiating with my spirited daughters, volunteering at their school, trying to keep my husband from falling asleep on the couch (he snores), or trying to keep our beagle from eating things she shouldn’t. Subscribe to get these essays and podcasts to your inbox (for free!) here: https://elicitingesperance.substack.com/ (https://elicitingesperance.substack.com/) And follow me on the socials: https://www.sarahberke.com/connect (https://www.sarahberke.com/connect) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit elicitingesperance.substack.com (https://elicitingesperance.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1)

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