I Was Anastasia

by Ariel Lawhon

Fate does twist her knife in the most unexpected ways.

“Life is too short, madam, for that kind of attitude. Who wants to just survive. Wouldn’t you rather live?” Some of us don’t have the luxury of that choice,

Anna wishes she could see their faces and read their body language. Words are important, but they only tell part of the story. It’s impossible to know their full meaning without seeing how they glance at one another, pull at their sleeves, or hold the glass in their hands. A thousand truths are written across the body during any given conversation, and they often say more than the words spoken aloud.

The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie—deliberate, contrived, and dishonest—but the myth—persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. —JOHN F. KENNEDY

As women we are taught that bravery and valor exist in the grand gestures. We believe that kindness is weakness and arrogance is the same as courage. But it is not so. Sometimes restraint proves the mettle of a man’s heart more accurately.