Personal Development

River

"Fork you! (bw)' © Éole Wind , 2009. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Fork you! (bw)‘ © Éole Wind, 2009. CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

“You have to entertain the idea that maybe you were wrong.”

Not that I did anything bad. Not that I misheard or acted incorrectly. But wrong in the sense that the things we used to do did not mean what we thought they did. That those same things did not make us who we assumed we were because of them.

Our brains make the same patterns over and over again. Connections reinforced our entire lives. Neurons working like muscles in groups. The most often used pathways become stronger and the others wither. Rivers cut so deep into the earth we assume they will never reroute. But they are. With time. With practice. With interference. Continue reading →

Poetry

Asymptote

"57/365 - Fallen Layers" © Ahmed Hashim, 2012. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
57/365 – Fallen Layers” © Ahmed Hashim, 2012. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
“So. Many. Layers.”
I wrestle off my ski coat, fleece-lined sweatshirt, and down-filled vest.
The shape of my body finally makes an appearance.

Move the pillows, sit down, and pull my feet underneath me.

“We’re like Russian nesting dolls this time of year, aren’t we?”

It’s the same every time I’m here.
He lights a tea candle,
I settle myself and take a drink of water
out of my Klean Kanteen.
Pause. Deep breath.
“How’ve you been?”

“Good,” he says, smiles at me,
but does not return the question.
Just waits.

Therapy. Continue reading →

Poetry

NOLA

"Cypress Mystery" © Peter Barker, 2011. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Cypress Mystery” © Peter Barker, 2011. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.
Lars rolled down the window of his truck
Proffered me a cigarette
I sighed heavy, shook my head
Took it
Coughed hard
It’d been three months

“Pull up over here, man.
If I’m smoking on this trip
I need a pack of Newports.”

“When did you start smoking
menthols?”
Lips peeled back in disgust Continue reading →