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“You can still fight with fear in your heart.”
“Thank you, but you have to trust me to know what I need,
“Of course you wouldn’t get it,” she says, exasperation clear in her voice, on her face. “You don’t have to worry about things like that. Nothing could penetrate all those layers of privilege to even touch you.”
I do think there are things about my experience, what it means to negotiate my life in this world, that you don’t, can’t understand.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t understand or agree. I don’t give a fuck what people think.” “Even not giving a fuck is a privilege I don’t have,”
“I love her,” I tell Grim softly, seriously. “I don’t own her. You don’t hold back someone like Lennix because the beauty is in how she flies. I want to see her soar. I just want to make sure she always lands safely.
I knew what I wanted to do, but I don’t think I knew how complicated it would make my life.”
A meridian of seconds where I’m completely satisfied, and at least for this handful of moments, there’s nowhere to be, nothing to gain, and this is enough. This, she is the first time I’ve tasted enough, and I savor it on my tongue, hoard it. Fold it into my hands to memorize the feel of complete satisfaction. An entire kingdom fits in this boat. My whole world rests against my heart.
Traditions are the memories of those before us, breathed to life when we carry them on.
“Grateful to be alive and breathing and able to give and receive love. I will face every obstacle with the boldness of those who follow me and with the courage of those who came before.”
I breathe in the sage. Fear, panic, and anger slowly recede, and I wonder if it’s as easy as breathing in and breathing out; as surviving one breath to the next, one day at a time, healing in my own way.
Sometimes loving your family is awkward and hard, especially when you don’t believe the same things, don’t choose the same paths,
“I’ve worked really hard to become myself, Maxim,” I say softly. “To know what I believe, to live out my convictions, and to say what I think. I just want to make sure I wouldn’t be losing all of that, losing myself in you
“I think we should remember what patriotism actually is—that it’s rooted in love of country and seeing a vision for life, liberty, and justice for all fully realized. Our forefathers wrote the truth but, in many cases, didn’t live it out. Patriotism is loving this country enough to examine its problematic history so we can fulfill our forefathers’ words.”
We detract from our greatness when we not only refuse to acknowledge or examine our actions historically but don’t seek ways to heal and make amends where we can.
You don’t stop running because it’s hard. You don’t stop running because it hurts. Don’t you dare stop running because someone says you’ll never finish the race or even that it’s not your race to run.
I’m feeling the weight of finding your person in a world full of somebodies. In a crowded galaxy, finding your star.
He’s never shown any weakness, and maybe that was always our problem. Too much strength, not enough vulnerability. Too much power without compassion. When I was growing up, he was a deity. When I was older, he often felt like a villain. But now, in my maturity, I see him as he truly is. Human. Not perfect. Not evil. Not a god or a devil. Just my father, with whom I won’t always agree but whom I’ll love however he comes.
Whatever that means. Wherever that takes us.
