“For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how […]
Words From The Other Side
The Best Horse in the World
Have I told you yet about Merlin? I haven’t? That’s surprising, we’ve been sitting here for all of two seconds. Merlin was the best horse in the world. He was mine for 14 years. He’s been gone now for 11 years, nearly as long as I had him. I still miss him every single day. […]
The Thing About Being a Human Being
Oh, the heartbreakingly tender weight of being human. – Ava Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness. – Seneca What we don’t need in the midst of struggle, is shame for being human. – Brene Brown RULES FOR BEING HUMAN (Handed down from ancient Sanskrit) You Will Receive a Body […]
Ten Things George Floyd Protests Share with the Boston Massacre
1. Soldiers/Police Attacked their Fellow Citizens. The Boston Massacre was not a battle between soldiers and rebels, but between a peacekeeping force and the people they were meant to protect. In 1770 the colonists were still citizens of England. At the subsequent trial, future US president John Adams defended the British soldiers, but stated: “I […]
Pen Names: Are They Really for You?
I was twelve years old when I decided to write. I pretended to tidy up my backpack until every other student in my seventh-grade AVID class rushed out of the door. The room emptied quickly, until Ms. C and I were the only ones left. “You’re gonna be late to your next class,” Ms. C […]
Writer’s Block
You’re staring at the screen, and you’ve got nothing. Your mind is a void. You type random words and hope a coherent sentence emerges. Still nothing. Your cat gives it a shot with words of her invention and does so with steadfast confidence. Still incoherent, but your cat doesn’t care. Your frustration continues unabated. In […]
