The Wall of Winnipeg and Me

by Mariana Zapata

I had the self-control of a samurai sometimes. A samurai who wanted to go ronin.

Sometimes it was easier to tell other people what they should do than to actually practice what you preached.

Because that was the way surprises worked—they didn’t tend to pencil themselves into your schedule and let you know they were visiting ahead of time.

When life gives you lemons, you get to choose what you make out of them; it doesn’t always have to be lemonade.

too. It isn’t a big deal.” Why did that seem to be his life’s motto when it was something that mostly only affected me?

I’m fine, I promise.” The expression on his face when he turned around said what his mouth didn’t: You’re not okay. Was anyone ever totally okay though?