the girl with the barbie feet.

My name is Ashley Susan Arleca Harris. But most people just stick to Ashley. Or if you’re special, I’ll let you call me Ash. I’m currently navigating my first year of post-grad life. I’m glad to be in my hometown of Brevard, NC, which is the coolest little town in the world. My soul is equal parts mountain girl and Charlestonian. Two things I can talk about for days on end: politics and why the Harry Potter books are the greatest literary masterpieces ever written.

I laugh like a deranged person, love to be in charge, have a bossy streak a mile wide,  and read biographies for fun. I’m crazy enough to think that one of these days I might actually get to be the President. I love Jesus, good books, 80s music, shoes, good beer, convertible rides, America, movie quotes, breakfast food, elderly people, cute tiny animals, writing letters, and making people laugh.

This blog is called barbie feet, because a really cute and funny redheaded freckle-faced little girl that I love very much once said to me “Um, Ashley, did you know that when you walk you kind of walk like a barbie?? It looks like you’re wearing high heels but you’re not! It’s so cool!! For those of you who don’t know me all that well, I have cerebral palsy. Which means that I have brain damage that causes my leg muscles and tendons to contract continuously. Which means that I fall down a lot, and I walk pretty funny, and I have the world’s shittiest balance. Other than skiing and snowboarding and riding a bicycle, I can pretty much handle anything that life throws at me. I may do it a little different from your average bear, but really I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As you can imagine, wobbling through life on legs like mine makes for some great stories. And let me tell you, there is nothing more that I love than to tell stories. I’m here because I want to share them with you. I want to share life with you in the hopes that these words might help you to learn to love yourself and all your mess, or maybe learn to give yourself some grace when you fall down.

Or maybe they’ll show you how not to take yourself and life too seriously. If anything, I hope they’ll show you that trying to squeeze every bit of love  out of life is absolutely the best journey that you could ever try to go on.

Or maybe you’ll just belly laugh until tears roll down your face, I’d be fine with that too. Walking through life on these barbie feet is a grand adventure. I’m so glad you’re here to walk with me. Promise you’ll stay awhile?