Meg McDonnell

I’m an experienced and creative writer, editor, and manager. At the heart of my professional experiences is a passion to tell meaningful stories that promote flourishing for individuals and communities.

What ‘This Is Us’ Is Teaching America About Grief and Resilience

The return of This Is Us this season has caused a little ruckus among longtime fans. After a delayed kickoff to the fifth season, the hit NBC show premiered season five in October, with many eager fans waiting for their favorite comfort show to distract them from the troubles of 2020. Instead, the two-hour special highlighted the Pearsons’ responses to the Covid-19 pandemic and the unrest driven by racial injustice.

This Is Us has never shied from tackling tough topics; it’s what made the show

The Friendships That Create A Fulfilling Life for (Dating) Women

It was destined to be a great weekend. A handful of my college girlfriends, their husbands and children, and I were gathering for a celebration—our ten-year friendship anniversary. Those of us who have moved out of town trekked back to the city our university is in, where many of our friends had settled down with their husbands and families. There was no set agenda, except for good meals, wine, and laughter—lots of laughter.

When I look back at this weekend I remember the hilarious T-shirts dec

Looking Ahead by Looking Back: Listening to Loneliness

The ‘Looking Ahead by Looking Back’ series are personal essays from each of the Verily editors, reflecting on how our lives will have been changed by 2020. Looking back at the difficult moments in our lives isn’t always pleasant—many of us struggled to write these essays, in part because we’re usually writing from scars, not wounds, and 2020 is still a bit of a wound. But writing is also a way to find meaning, especially when the events have been difficult. In so many ways, the essays you’ll rea

Abortion, the Messages We Convey, and the Strength of Women

“The issue of life and choice does not resolve itself in legislation, it waits to be resolved in the hearts of women.” –Alexa Hyman

During my senior year of college, I received an email from a friend who worked for a pregnancy center: “Do you know anyone who could babysit for an almost two-year old while a young pregnant mother and father attend high school?” They needed about a month of childcare before other daycare arrangements would open up, and the pregnancy center was trying to do everyth

In the debate over abortion, let’s talk to the poor

With all the arguing about whether you can be for women and for abortion, it’d be good to talk about what abortion means to the women who face it most often.

Anyone paying attention knows the overarching themes of both sides: on the one side those who equate abortion with women’s freedom and equality. On the other, women, like myself, who denounce the killing of human beings and an industry regularly indifferent to women’s suffering and their right to fully informed consent.

Yet an honest asse

The Magic of Hallmark Christmas Movies

While their predictable scripts and perfect endings have produced a lot of criticism over the years, Hallmark Christmas movies are rising in popularity and viewership.

In 2018, 85 million viewers tuned into Hallmark Christmas movies, according to multiple news sources and the Hallmark Channel. This season, between Oct 25 (the launch of their first Christmas movie) and November 24, 40.1 million viewers tuned in, according to analysis by the Hollywood Reporter, setting them on track to surpass th

Lessons in Success and Happiness from Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Amy Coney Barrett

The death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court has produced a robust conversation about what it looks like to be a woman who is extraordinarily successful in work, family, and life. While their jurisprudence and opinions on many issues, notably abortion, are vastly different, the late Justice Ginsburg and Judge Barrett share striking similarities in how they approach their work, marriage, and family lives.

The question “can women have

A Guide to Keeping Calm During COVID-19 Panic

During a national crisis event, like the COVID-19 outbreak, living in the Washington D.C. region has its perks, and it has its downsides.

On the positive side, I’m friends and acquaintances with people who are working for the government and federal agencies, national news outlets, and other places that are currently tasked with understanding the national situation and developing a response. Such connections means I’ve often got my finger on the pulse of trending stories and best tips for prepar

Dating and Devices: The Data Our Smartphones Don’t Hold

When it comes to talking about the use of technology in dating, one wouldn’t naturally look for insights from the 1800s, but that’s exactly where one podcast started. In an episode of The Secret History of the Future, produced by Slate and The Economist, hosts Tom Standage and Seth Stevenson begin their exploration of dating apps today by first discussing the bicycle.

For people in the 1800s, the invention of the bicycle provided freedom to move outside a few block radius more easily and quickl

Can Making Dinner Daily Cure Millennial Burnout?

Picture this recent scene from a typical day in my life. The rumbling in my stomach reminded me it was the dinner hour, but my end-of-day fatigue told me making a meal was too much effort. I was already getting home late from work, and the to-do list I left on my desk for the next day was longer than the one I had accomplished that day. My brain hadn’t come down from work mode. I was anxious, irritable, and hungry for food that was quick, easy, and filling.

It’s a scenario you probably can rela