Water
A sip, just enough to wet the tongue, barely enough to swallow. Not too cold, not too hot. Right here, right now, I experience the simple joy in a sip of water. An image, like water, absorbs into my whole…
One Singular Moment
My manuscript is due. I read and reread. Edit, edit, edit. Find more action verbs. Less adverbs. Correct repeated words. Ensure consistent formatting. The thesaurus and word search are my friends. At some point I need to let go and…
So, Yeah It Hurts
Another morning, my mind softly wakens. Down caresses my body. Snuggled deep in my nest, pillows support me from all sides. Each shoulder is propped just right, and they both need it. The left, oh my little guy, he needs…
Knit Together
Trauma is experienced and held in the body. Feel it. Let it permeate the cells of your body. You don’t have to deny it, or find the good in it. Your experience makes you, you. All the people and places.…
You Can’t. Until You Do.
My eagle can fly. Oh, can she soar. You should see it. It’s a feat and will leave you speechless. She smiles, and she means it. She even smiles on the inside. But there’s something there. Something she can’t quite…
Robot Therapist
Fourteen days into my vacation, the last day, begins with my feet propped on the thick brick wall enclosing Grami’s front porch, a place full of childhood memories. Over a hundred years ago, Great-Grampa set these red bricks by hand.…
Slipping Away Unannounced
I smile, and he does not. In fact his eyes, his whole body speaks to my nervous system. Then his words confirm. He is angry at my presence. My uncle yells, from his gut, at Grami. His anger is visceral.…
So We Beat On
Even the men are old. A healthy mix of generations fills the church, but I notice the old men. Most, if not all, are related to me. They sit in the pews on the right side of the sanctuary. I…
