The Wisdom in the Sway

I dreamt of seeing a Luna Moth. That creamy, lime-green goddess I’d only glimpsed in pictures felt more like a celestial body or a four-leaf clover—something you admire from afar but never expect to meet. With its nocturnal habits and adult lifespan of only 7–10 days, I never imagined catching a glimpse of one inContinue reading “The Wisdom in the Sway”

Choosing Who We Let In

Today was bittersweet. My decade-plus-long friendship with Peter led to, for the first time, talking to his long-time partner and wife, Susanna. She told me about the final moments—how he chose his date and time to take the death-with-dignity medication. The intimacy of it: their prayers for one another, her heaving a painful sigh atContinue reading “Choosing Who We Let In”

A Faire to Remember

“Am I Jesus?” Evelyn asked, her cantaloupe-sized melon poking out from a wooden cutout. It was the third hole she’d posed in —the first being a busty Viking woman, followed by a classic head-and-hand stockade.“No, you’re the Mona Lisa,” I told her, mildly surprised at her somewhat close guess despite our lack of religious leanings.Continue reading “A Faire to Remember”

The Power Be Trippin’

Browsing Reddit’s top news stories this week is dizzying. The insider trading, corruption, and lack of accountability make me feel as queasy as I did last night after eating too much strawberry shortcake. So I’ll switch my thinking to something of a palate cleanser—like the literal tug-of-war match we played today. A group of usContinue reading “The Power Be Trippin’”

Sazón and Self-Control

Fasting for weight loss means I get hangry. To sidestep the anger and the irritating, drumming-finger wait until a meal arrives—a marathon of time away—I stay busy. Like collecting eggs with my nude five-year-old, folding towels, and wondering how seven pieces of Evelyn’s clothes wound up on the living room floor. Then I remember: sheContinue reading “Sazón and Self-Control”

After He Said That (Book Part 32)

Previous I didn’t realize how much I’d dropped the mask until it slipped completely. That’s the thing about pretending—you don’t always know you’re doing it until you stop. And at this moment, with Kent, I wasn’t pretending. Not even a little. The dome light is on, allowing details of Kent’s face—ones I hadn’t noticed before—toContinue reading “After He Said That (Book Part 32)”