Granny Smith

They stood under the apple tree, heavy with fruit. Early October sunshine, with a hint of late fall breeze, drew the family close. The Granny Smith had been planted five years past, to the day, in a similar gathering. Today would be for celebrating, the healing already done.  The tree’s first harvest was a success.

Not Me

Last week I had a chunk of my left lower shoulder blade cut out due to melanoma in situ.  Melanoma, the deadly skin cancer. Fortunately “in situ,” while still malignant, is considered stage 0, or noninvasive. The cells are confined to the top layer of skin and have not spread further. With the surgical removal

Good Morning

You know the routine, the chaos of morning. Kids up too early, you in bed too late. Everyone wants something,  toast lightly buttered, eggs scrambled. Sitting with your coffee, now cold, surrounded by the cacophony of  morning news, plates rattling, children chattering. Little one is tattling on big brother again, employing tactics, duplicitous at best.

Perfect Shade

Alone in the drawer worthless, useless. Lacking the confidence to trot it out. Bought with ambition, silly girl. Should have known better, you’re not the type. Matte, velvet, stain or shine, no matter the kind. Everyone sees you’re trying too hard. Won’t learn your lesson, apply one more time, ruby, scarlet, burgundy or crimson. Back

We are a First Draft

There is nothing wrong with being a first draft.  By definition, a first draft is the rough attempt at a finished, polished piece of work or art. I know no one who can claim to be a finished, perfectly polished version of themselves.  As humans we are always changing, always growing, always making mistakes.  A

What is My Worth

Am I worth the occasional four dollar coffee? Am I worth the time spent writing words on the page? Am I worth a day off accomplishing nothing? Do I deserve spending time on myself? Do I deserve the love of my family? Do I deserve the good things in my life? Are my thoughts worth

Perfect

Perfect doesn’t exist.  There, I said it. I’ll say it again, perfect does not exist.  There are fleeting moments of when everything is wonderful, but the second law of thermodynamics states that entropy, the gradual move towards disorder, is always increasing in an enclosed and isolated system. You don’t need to be a physics major

Don’t Forget Me

The face you see before you, it’s both mine, and not mine. This face has changed a thousand times over; it has been fuller, smoother, full of color. 

Surface Beauty

Remove the excess. Show yourself to the world, bare and without fear. Let others see the worth in your curves, in your angles, in your unadorned splendor. Do not become muted and faded trying to hide imperfections.  Surface beauty suffocates our depth and texture.

Surviving the Black Hole

Hope springs eternal in the optimistic heart of youth.  The world beyond, vacant and cold.  The gravity of anger and despair waiting to pull in all who skirt its horizon.  Resist the drag towards the center, young one, keep free of the well of loneliness.  Grow unencumbered, holding fast to the buoyancy of aspiration.