HeyJaredThe Mess + The Magic
The Mess + The Magic dwells in the tender contradictions of being human — the light, the dark, and the many wondrous shades between. Join me at the intersection of ache and awe to explore addiction, recovery, paralysis, parenthood, grief, joy + love.
- Indexed issues, last 90 days
- 13
- Latest publication
- Sep 29, 2026
- Audience
- Checking…
- Earliest in this view
- Jul 5, 2026
Latest issues
A Star Is Born (opens the original)
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As a kid, I survived standing on a few stages. There were several dance recitals. The occasional school play where everyone got a role. The mandatory school orchestra, where—even after three years of studying clarinet—I still managed to sound like a small, feral animal squeaking to death. I never felt comfortable on a stage. All the sensed eyeballs left me dysregulated and disembodied. I flubbed a cheerleading audition for this exact reason—not because I lacked talent, but because my mind got in
Honest Ground (opens the original)
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<img alt="" class="sizing-normal" height="1941" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!g4X4!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff6f8319d-aa77-441a-a93d-321da2c3fde8_5712x4284.
Cowgirl Tough (opens the original)
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<img alt="" class="sizing-normal" height="1941" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Mnkp!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fccfc6c52-b99c-4224-8ff5-be8f90c3e04e_2316x3088.
Teflon, Velcro + Gold Stars for Rejection Letters (opens the original)
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Yesterday I received news that one of my essays was awarded Honorable Mention in Writer’s Digest’s 95th Annual Writing Competition. <img alt="" class="sizing-normal" height="2622" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch
Six Years Sober + Three Little Words (opens the original)
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<img alt="" class="sizing-normal" height="1941" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!H3OQ!,w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6090a355-7583-4080-996d-d164842d7a10_2316x3088.
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