by Adam I rest your little head on the stuffed monkey’s lap on top of the changing table. I keep your wobbly head elevated, because it helps keep acid reflux from bubbling to your throat. You hate the hygiene ritual about to happen. I’m not sure why - is it the cool air touching your … Continue reading What Does Love Mean to You?
Tag: family
A Lot To Do With It
by Sara LeVee Safyan A lot of my adult decisions are based on convenient parking. A lot of my non-adult-like decisions too. It’s almost Neil Armstrong-ian, you know. One small parking spot for my convenience, one big life-altering decision for my life. I would say it’s a pattern, but that would be attributing too much … Continue reading A Lot To Do With It
Encouragement
by Jeff Fleischer “I don’t want to talk about it!” “Not this again,” his mother said. Wendy knew from her first two progeny that it was important to encourage a child’s creativity. She also knew that there was a fine line between that encouragement and cementing bad habits. Her oldest’s brief dalliance with clown college … Continue reading Encouragement
Gathering Mushrooms
by Julie Ahern The forecast said a blizzard was coming, the storm of the century, so he knew today would be his last chance. The alarm was set for 3:00, but he really didn’t need it; years of working in construction, getting up to be on site before sun-up had him trained. He slid out … Continue reading Gathering Mushrooms
What I Didn’t Know Before
By Mo David Staring doesn't accomplish much, but that doesn't stop me. We're in her mom's minivan, parked in front of the house I grew up in. The grassy lawn rises and dips in ways I didn't know I remembered. The tree is still strong and quiet. The brick walls sit solidly beneath a fresh … Continue reading What I Didn’t Know Before
Parental Dissonance VIII
"Weight" by Ian Watts "I will not be the man you meant to raise," He grim averred. "Your expectations chafe And stifle how I've grown and learned in days Since youth; Not mine to keep your heirlooms safe. "Did my novitiate not fulfill your wish? My filial duty: tell you sacramental Black is white, teach … Continue reading Parental Dissonance VIII
Parental Dissonance VII
"You Can Always Come Home" by Aryeh Barasch I remember the first time I got into a real argument with my parents. It wasn’t too explosive of an argument, but I remember clearly that it was about religion. The idea of religion, which is a way that we are supposed to choose to live our … Continue reading Parental Dissonance VII
Parental Dissonance III
"August 23rd" by Ola Faleti In my dream the sky is a permanent deep blue. And in my dream I am the harried writer with pens and thoughts falling out of my pockets. In my dream I am 2 years out of an MFA. In my dreams I get coffee every month with Junot Diaz. … Continue reading Parental Dissonance III
Parental Dissonance
I've always wondered at the dissonance we experience between how our parents want us to live our lives, and how we actually want to live them. Growing up in a religious household, I often felt as though I was simply going through the motions and not living a life I was proud of. The residual … Continue reading Parental Dissonance
Lavender Oil
Anxiety is something that I've learned to embrace, in a way. I've been battling with it for so long that the idea of not resisting was nowhere on my radar. At one point, after days filled with constant pounding in my chest, and sleepless nights, something snapped. Perhaps my mind had decided that enough was … Continue reading Lavender Oil
Write Then & There 