Love: An Audio Diary

"To love is to will the good of the other." - St. Thomas Aquinas. I'm excited to share this conversation with Father David Garcia, OP on modern love. We chat about the 'handicaps' our generation faces when it comes to loving and how we can learn to love better & fuller.

I chat with my childhood friend Jana, who in 3 years has 1) dated then 2) married the love of her life and soon after 3) became a mum. All under the age of 25! Her story is about embracing her calling as a wife & mother amidst worldly narratives of "female empowerment" and Lean In culture.

Storytime from when I could not sleep for 2 months and was a perpetual zombie. But also learnt about the gift of rest and what it means to be poured into by others.

Things have been really rough of late and in the midst of imperfection, I am learning to accept grace.

You don't know you've been struggling with pride until it hits you dead in the face. Then comes forgiveness.

Following on from the last episode, here's a more optimistic take: YOU ARE LOVED. Extracted from my most recent newsletter entry on 'Dear Sister in Christ,'. Check out it at annabellesienalim.substack.com

I thought this pic of a wistful and sad corgi (his name is Mango) in this episode's display art would best encapsulate how I felt recently.

My season of singleness, its epic failure and learning to surrender control.

I chat about my struggle with loneliness and figuring out what real intimacy looks like.

In this episode, I read from a diary entry written after excavating my Wordpress blog from the early 2010s. I also share a bit about my faith journey. Spoiler: I conclude that my heart cannot be trusted.

Navigating new & old friendships in my mid(ish) 20s has been tricky and yet, I am so grateful.

Dating after a breakup has been... new, freeing but also anger-inducing, confusing and straight up hard.

Happy birthday Meiz, may you have the best day ever. Hope you don't think I'm preachy in this... or overly emotional... or pretentious... Ok annoy ya soon and by this I mean later tonight <3

Yeah... this is a heavy one. But probably one of the greatest lessons I will ever learn in love.

In this episode, I chat about meeting Nick at a club in London, finding ourselves dancing to TikTok music with 18 y/os and learning to love better.

A continuation from the previous episode, I endeavour to be less judgy towards my virtual companions on the internet. 98% of the time it's because I judge myself the hardest >:(

... And found more love for others + myself when I got off them. Also open to having my mind changed.

Turned 24 this week... even though I wanna crack a joke about being old - I am grateful to have lived this long and loved so much. Also is self-love toxic?? Asking for myself.

My 'twin' from primary school is pregnant (!!) and I am in love with our friendship through the seasons.

Contrary to internet science, teenage crushes can be complicated, heart-wrenching, and very profound.

Welcome to my audio diary as I share the love stories that have inspired, moved and blessed me.

First official diary entry on meeting my fave Sister Lucy and everything she taught me about love in a single therapy session. Follow up episode will be on whether nuns can fall in love. Watch this space.

An introduction to why 'love' means so much to me and my intentions for this podcast.