Some labels that come to mind: nature lover, bird and plant enthusiast, writer, and family oriented, but at the end of the day, I am just another person trying to learn how best to be in this world.
One quiet morning, Mami and I were rubbing butter between our fingers to make biscuits. Breaking the silence she told me – “Don’t ever let your children do something that makes you hate them.” I looked up at her form my wobbly stool, floured fingers still. She looked back at me and I felt a … More retrospect
I used to think that belonging and acceptance were found externally, that you are accepted and/ or belong somewhere based on the thoughts, feelings and actions of some external source (group, people, place). Now I’m starting to feel that acceptance and belonging are actually found internally, regardless of the external circumstances, that a person can … More on acceptance and belonging
Part 1: Grief As a child, they taught me that selfishness, as a quality, is distinctly unbecoming. Such a thoughtful child, they said – Mama, Lala, Aunty Mari, Tito Bert and Tito Jaime. As my constant nemesis in childhood, I felt that Vina, at polar opposites to me, was unarguably self-absorbed. Though, more than-likely, I … More After
“You talk about Bella all the time” he says, kissing her nose. “When will I meet this friend of yours?” She scratches the base of his skull, stalling. “Soon” she replies, belly sinking. The truth is, she hates when worlds collide. Mama always told her she should let go, flow like water, but even back … More worlds collide
Love is new for me. More specifically, real love, lived love, is new for me. I used to think that I knew love, what it meant to love another. But, at the time, I knew love in my head, a concept to toy with, like a jagged rock, wave-tumbled and smooth, an object, once found, … More the small things
“people are too loose with that phrase.” was the first thought. Followed by “fucking irresponsible.” And then, from the hard place deep beneath my sternum – “why do we always write about romantic heartbreak, as if it feels any different.” … Ten years ago, it would have been a stretch to say that we were … More Chosen Family
“Should I tell him?” she asked Mugwort? From over her shoulder she heard mama sigh. Leaning deeper into the fragrant leaves, she felt her belly shift, like water coming to rest at the bottom of a bowl. The leaves clattered in the towering cottonwood and the sharp smell of Mugwort rose into the air, swaddling … More Online Community
He tells me that I’m edgy. The sound of the waves dies in the force of the wind. His fingers trail down the back of my arm and I shiver. A gust of wind swallows us whole and in the vacuum, I wonder what it would be like to jump. — There were some things … More Masks Optional
“What’s up?” he asks, scanning the QR code with his phone and pulling up the menu. “Nothing.” she says, pinching the corner of her eyes between two fingers. The sound of his thumb tapping the phone fills the space between them. Eyes closed, she tilts her head back, shivering as the sun sinks into her … More QR Code Menus
What happens when an outdoor educator takes a remote tech job? Stream of consciousness… I keep trying to distract myself from answering this question. And I feel like there is something deeper there that I don’t want to look at. Just last night, over dinner, we were talking about cryptocurrency, how the world is becoming … More Hybrid Workweek
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