More Beautiful Than Necessary

After School

Reflections from a midlife, post-homeschool grandmother

Dec 6 • 

Tresta Payne

18

1

November 2025

My Kingdom

A new essay at The Way Back To Ourselves

Nov 23 • 

Tresta Payne

9

1

The Dangers of Being a Lifelong Learner

And why a little friction is necessary

Nov 15 • 

Tresta Payne

23

14

9

What I'm reading

And how

Nov 1 • 

Tresta Payne

24

20

4

October 2025

People like nothing more than to make their own decisions

Short leashes, parenting tips and tricks, and tethering myself

Oct 25 • 

Tresta Payne

14

7

5

You don't plan to live a boring life

I tried using index cards to make my lists and carry a daily schedule with me, and that lasted about a week.

Oct 18 • 

Tresta Payne

15

2

1

Change, proper child spacing, and gray beards

A Five Things essay

Oct 10 • 

Tresta Payne

28

7

2

What "Much Ado" teaches us about the benefit of the doubt

Be wary of living by your misinterpretations

Oct 3 • 

Tresta Payne

11

2

2

September 2025

The way out is not the same as the way in

Some thoughts on escaping the drain, and some links for your thinks

Sep 27 • 

Tresta Payne

27

14

5

You keep using that word.

It's just me—using extraneous words to define things.

Sep 21 • 

Tresta Payne

17

4

1

Life has never been normal

Gird up your loins and get serious

Sep 13 • 

Tresta Payne

25

4

3

Grape Cough Syrup and other things that don't fix the problem

Does everything have to be a lesson?

Sep 7 • 

Tresta Payne

24

9

4