The Conversations We’re Not Supposed to Have

This morning, I was at the bus stop, scrolling and half-lost in thought, when one of the moms casually mentioned her recent surgery. Ten minutes later, we were knee-deep in a conversation about IVF cycles, endometriosis, and PCOS — basically all the things no one really plans to unpack at 8 a.m. on a sidewalk. And yet, there we were, swapping stories like old friends.

A few hours later, at my favorite little boutique, it happened again. One offhand comment about me giving birth nine months ago turned into a twenty-minute back-and-forth on fertility struggles, menopause, and the weird ways our bodies can betray us.

It always amazes me how quickly opening up can transform a passing moment into something real. There’s something quietly radical about admitting struggle in spaces where you could just smile, nod, and move on. It’s messy, sometimes awkward, but it’s also freeing. When you share, you break isolation. You remind yourself you’re not the only one. You turn strangers into allies, even if just for a few minutes.

Another reminder? Every woman has a story. Every body is different. And truthfully, it’s often more likely for things to go wrong than for everything to go perfectly right. That doesn’t make us broken; it just makes us human.

So, here’s to opening up, to having the messy conversations, and to the connections that linger long after the moment has passed.

Ask Clara: How common are fertility issues?