I held my two-month-old niece for the first time yesterday, as her parents sat down for their first meal together sans baby since the birth. I heard a soft cooing as I bounced the ten-pound, chunky-soft human in my arms and walked her around the room to satiate her curious brown eyes. Within her line... Continue Reading →
A Skin-Colored Bandage
A skin-colored bandage covers the rot, the festering past, all the things that you're not. When no one's around, you pull back the cloth and pick at the flesh 'til your mouth starts to froth. Today, we must show up to prove we're the best; there's no room for failure and no time for rest.... Continue Reading →
A Little Miracle in The Valentine’s Aisle
"Do you have anything special planned?" A voice to my left inquired as we both plucked red-hued cards from the shelf and slipped them back into place, one by one. "No," I responded with a slight chuckle, "my boyfriend and I aren't big on the overly-commercialized holidays. We both appreciate a good card, though." The... Continue Reading →
Introspection, Infestation, and Intimacy
This past weekend, I was reminded of the duplexity of life, as well as my power to choose how I respond. Rather than labeling the incidences as "good" or "bad," I'm trying to practice non-judgement--the events are inherently meaningless until I attribute meaning to them. On Thursday, I met my aunt for dinner and it felt... Continue Reading →
Spectacular Contortion
I teetered on the hind legs of my cheap desk chair as I clicked the blue call button and waited through the modern-day dial tone. “Hey! Long time to see!” I was twenty-two years old: insecure and invincible. A few months shy of graduation, future options were limited only by my imagination; and yet, the... Continue Reading →