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This is Not the End of the Story! It Won’t Always be Like This.
What does a “new normal” mean? I remember after the hurricane, there came a point where I was tired, exhausted and just couldn’t go on. I was “done.” Speaking with my therapist the other day, she explained to me that many of her clients have reached the point of being “done” with the pandemic. And I was reminded of how I felt like that several months after the hurricane. It had been MONTHS and months and months of disaster recovery… and I couldn’t do it anymore. But you can’t actually be done. The crisis is still present. You can’t simply be done with it. So what does it mean to…
- blog, history, lifestyle, mental health, parenting, personal development, short story, trauma, Uncategorized
There is no greater pain.
I’ve seen Death around every corner lately, as a phantom out of the side of my eye, as a stalker just around the bend, as a wisp of wind floating in on a summer storm, beating down in sheets of rain. He slinks in, his black coat trailing behind him, prowling around the edges of my consciousness, reminding me of his presence. He was there in the car as we road to the funeral home to lay my husband’s aunt to rest. “I hate funerals,” my husband said that morning. “I’m not really sure if there’s a person alive who likes them,” I replied. “She’s going to make me speak.”…
- blog, history, lifestyle, mental health, parenting, personal development, short story, trauma, Uncategorized
You’re my Gift to the World
Dear kids, You are always in my heart, but today you’re heavily on my mind. The world seems to have descended into madness, but it has a habit of doing that at least once a generation. Your mom and dad have been through it. It seems like ever since we met all those years ago, something in the universe clicked into place and we were sent in forward motion, spiraling out of control towards some end we don’t know. Your dad, he will forever be rough like sandpaper. He doesn’t realize it most of the time, but his presence in the world is like a magnet. His name, Jesse, means…
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Well, thank you for worrying about me
I went kayaking last night about 7. Sun doesn’t set until 8. It’s the only time when it’s not oppressively hot in the summer. I’ve got loading and unloading down to a science now. And it was perfect conditions. I put in the boat at Kinsaul Park. This is a place where lots of people like to park and watch the sunset since it’s a wide-open sky over the water towards the west. I head out to my favorite spot and just sit there, singing and listening to the soft crash of the waves. It’s the only place I truly feel completely alone. Just before sunset, I hear a familiar…
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Love is still the answer for the pain in the world today.
Physics is something I consider incredibly difficult to understand or even care about really. But it’s become a daily part of my life for the past several years. You see, my husband has a Bachelors in Physics and starts his Masters program in a couple months. At first, he wanted to be a medical doctor. It made sense because he was working as a medic at the time. When he told me he wanted to be a doctor I remember thinking, “Well. That means I’m going to have to go back to school to at least complete my Associates.” And I did. Then he decided to switch his major to…
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You know I don’t like being rained on!
“I found a massive dead rat in the shed,” my husband said by way of greeting. Jesse stood in the doorway leading to our backyard, his black hair wet with humidity and sweat. “That’s disgusting.” I crinkled my nose. “Come look at it.” He gestured behind him. “Absolutely not!” “Please!” “No!” I stood up from my work at the table and walked to the kitchen. “Remember when you worked at the Mill and you sent me a text of that mouse caught in the trap! I’m scarred for life!” “Yeah.” Jesse laughed. “That was before trigger warnings. Well, come help me anyway. It’s about to rain.” “No it isn’t.” Jesse…
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This is just temporary, so don’t judge me.
“She’s chatty,” said Jesse. He was referring to our waitress who seemed to be holding a conversation with everyone in the room between sweet tea refills. I looked up from my coffee and turned my attention to her as she served the table next to us. “ … I have four kids,” I heard her say. “All we could do was board up the windows.” The waitress turned to me and smiled brightly before chatting to me about my kids. I hadn’t seen her at the establishment before, but it seems like everyone has new hires these days. “I’ll be right out with your food.” She ended the small talk…
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Make sure what you’re building is worthwhile
Partnering with someone for life is hard. Here’s the thing, it takes all parties to make it work. I consider myself lucky to have a partner who puts in the work. We’re both aware that this relationship could fail at any point. It would just take one of us to not be willing to put in the work anymore. We haven’t been together for 10 years because we’re great, fantastic people. We’re together (and happy about it) because both of us have taken criticism, made adjustments, worked hard every day on our partnership, and other things. And at any point, I’m telling you, one of us (or both) could decide…
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It’s my duty as a parent to shape my child’s worldview. Sometimes this requires uncomfortable moments to be embraced.
I am reminded of an awkward moment in February 2019. I took my children to a theater and was standing in line for popcorn with them. February is Black History month, of course, but I feel compelled to share this context because it is essential to understanding this next part. My children had been learning about Dr. King and his fight against segregation. A black family of about 12 people walked in and stood behind us in line. My son, who was 6 at the time, looked at this family, smiled and said (loud enough for everyyyyybody to hear)… “I’m so glad there’s no more racism and black people can…
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You never know just how quickly everything can change for you.
May 2018, my husband graduated with a degree in physics. We went to Disney World to celebrate. June 2018, we moved back to Panama City so I could finish my own degree in peace. October 2018, my life came crashing down around me in the form of a thousand-year storm. October 2018, I fled my wrecked home with all I could fit in my car. October 2018, I thought the worst thing that would ever happen to me had happened. November 2018, my husband was lost to his mind. I lived with a stranger for 18 months while he tried to hang on for dear life. January 2019, I thought…
