Everyone Knows Your Mother Is a Witch

by Rivka Galchen

Well, Kath-chen, I said to myself, you’re not a child, you must be your own source of light. You can say yes to asking after a horoscope, or you can say no, but if you say no, you should say so politely.

Some people worry about being born under an unlucky star. I don’t. I worry about being born in an unlucky place.

ungratefulness is theft.

My reputation is separate from my personhood.

But sad things are so commonplace. And as you say Simon: see no monsters.

It is a common misconception that all children are beautiful and full of spirit. They aren’t. Some are fearful, or aggressive, or aloof, or selfish. Some are wonderful but unreachable and private. I have known and cared for and loved many small people.

The truth of who I am and what I have done is one thing. The rumor quite another.

Now I’ll tell you the strangest and maybe the worst part.” “What is it?” I asked. “I’m a happy man. That’s the strange part. I think it’s the way that I’m made.”

“But this is not the place to mourn about the misery of our century, but to rejoice with you about such beautiful ideas proving the truth.”

He saw delphinium as I saw delphinium. As a plant capable of good and evil both. As a plant that required the knowledge and good intentions of man.

You will laugh at me, an old woman, talking so much of babies and kids. But it’s wise to have a large family. Because one loses so much and so many.

How empty my life had become. I didn’t know even why I was trying to hold on to it.

“Luther said that even if the earth were to end tomorrow, he would still plant his tree. I’ve been thinking about that.”

I do so much wrong by doing pretty much nothing at all.